Safe Harbor
by SweetPea36
Summary: A random home invasion or a calculated attempt at murder? Either way, Cal has to solve the mystery while helping his best friend heal.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys. I so enjoy reading your Lie to Me fanfics! Love to write but never tried a fan fic before! So, let me know what you think! I have this story almost completely written so if you guys like it, I'll keep posting. I hate getting hooked on a story and then never seeing it updated!**

**Don't own Lie To Me...if I did, it would still be on the air!**

CHAPTER ONE

Cal Lightman ran at full speed through the glistening hospital hallway, the echo of his shoes bouncing off the impossibly white walls. Slamming his body into the emergency room receiving desk, he let out the breath that he had been holding from the parking lot.

"Emily Lightman…she was just brought in, " Cal wheezed.

The matronly receptionist looked up at him, her glasses perched on her nose. "Have a seat sir, the doctor will be with you shortly."

Cal wanted to leap over the desk and throttle the receptionist. "Sod the doctor, just tell me where she is." Cal was a powder keg waiting to explode. The call that had come in from the hospital that his only daughter had been brought by ambulance to the emergency room, the victim of a home invasion, had made his stomach drop into his shoes. He remembered pulling the phone away from his ear, staring at it in disbelief. Was this some kind of sick joke? Joke or not, here he was…the daggers being thrown at him by the receptionist reminding him that he was now completely at the mercy of the hospital staff.

Sitting in the nearest chair, he dropped his head into his hands. What the hell had happened? He remembered Emily bouncing into his office, excited about her shopping trip with Gillian. Emily and his business partner had grown close over the last few months and Gillian had promised Emily that she would help the girl pick out some appropriate clothes for a new Freshman at Berkeley. Emily's first semester at the California school started next month.

Pulling his phone from his pocket, he dialed Gillian's number. More than anyone else, Cal needed his best friend here with him now. After 3 rings, her phone went to voice mail. Checking his watch, he noted that it was nearing midnight. Perhaps she had gone to bed. The thought occurred to him that he should probably call his ex wife, Zoe. He quickly pushed that idea aside until he could give her more information. Zoe was like a pit bull when it came to their daughter. No, it would be better to wait until he had some answers.

"Dr. Lightman?"

Cal leapt to his feet. "Emily…where's my daughter?"

The doctor was a tall, thin man, his face deeply lined as if he had spent one too many sleepless nights on the job. "Please sit."

Cal found himself searching the doctor's face, hoping a small micro expression would give him a clue as to his daughter's status. The haggard face gave nothing away.

"Your daughter was the victim of what appears to be a home invasion. Given the nature of the attack and from what I'm told, the state of your house, she is doing surprisingly well." There was no deception in "Dr. Waite's" face and Cal felt himself tremble with relief.

The physician continued, "She took a pretty good knock to the head and she has a bruise on her cheek and a cut on her arm that needs stitches. We'd like to keep her tonight for observation, but if we don't see any signs of a head injury by tomorrow, she should be able to go home."

Cal hopped up. "Where is she? Can I see her?"

Dr. Waite nodded towards the first closed door. She's right inside there. You can go see her if you would like but I have to warn you, Emily hasn't said a word to anyone since she arrived. She's in shock and she may need some time. Don't be alarmed."

She looked so small. His beloved daughter was perched on the edge of the hospital bed, a flimsy gown covering her thin body. A bandage covered her left arm and an angry bruise was growing on her left cheek. Emily Lightman was staring at the floor while the nurse continued to fiddle with her IV. "We can take this out in a few hours Emily." Emily barely raised her eyes to acknowledge what the nurse had just told her.

Passing by Cal, the nurse placed a hand on his arm. "Give her some time. She's going to be okay." Cal nodded and made his way over to his daughter, a hundred images of tea parties, frilly dresses, and ballet classes flooded his mind. Despite the fact that she was practically a grown woman now, Cal couldn't help at this moment to see her as a helpless little girl.

"Hey Em." Cal softly grasped Emily's hands that were twisting frantically in her lap. "I'm here love. Everything is going to be okay now."

Emily continued to stare at her lap. Cal lifted her chin so he could look into her face and what he saw there filled him with despair. Fear, pain and most of all, grief, were written all over her features. Taking her into his arms, Cal ran his hands through her hair, muttering soothing words and endless "I love you's" until he felt Emily start to tremble. Her slight shaking finally turned into gut-wrenching sobs that rocked her whole body.

How long Cal held her, he didn't know. Time seemed to stop as Emily's sobs turned into quiet whimpers and finally soft hiccups. Tilting her head again to look at him, Cal kissed the top of her forehead. "Can you tell me what happened love?"

Emily stared at a spot on the wall just over her father's right shoulder. For several seconds Cal could see her inner turmoil as she tried to re-tell the story to him. Finally, in a tortured croak, she spoke. "He killed her."

Cal grasped her shoulders, confused. "Wait, who is her? Em, what are you talking about?"

Tears began to pour again from the girl's swollen eyes. "Gil," she said in barely a whisper. "He killed Gillian, dad."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the great comments! Here's the next chapter...kind of a maintenance chapter really. Things start getting crazy in chapter 3!**

CHAPTER TWO

**5 hours earlier**

"When are you going to admit that you love him?" Emily Lightman smiled over the rim of her water glass as Gillian Foster practically choked on her spinach linguine. Emily giggled and set the glass down. She had been keeping her father's secret for months now. His admission that he was in love with his business partner and best friend had come as no great shock to Emily. In fact, it filled her with joy. But, after all of the years of watching the relationship between her Dad and Gillian grow, she was tired of watching the two dance around each other. She would never break her father's trust but she had no problem needling Gillian.

"Em, your dad and I are best friends. Of course we love each other."

Emily shook her head and frowned. "No Gillian. How long are you two going to keep doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Do you know there's a pool going on at the office about who will be the first to admit their feelings…you or my dad?" Emily's eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Oh, and who do the office pool odds favor might I ask?"

Emily took a bite of her ravioli and shook her head. "I'm not going to tell you…but I will say that if you are the first to cave, Eli Loker stands to make a lot of money!"

Gillian was speechless. Her feelings towards her business partner and best friend were quite complex. . If she really thought about it, she had always been drawn to him, from the day they first met. Of course, they had both been married and had buried those feelings far behind Gillian's imaginary "line." Even newly divorced, Gillian could not bring herself to cross that self -imposed barrier and explore a relationship with him. Gillian knew that when Cal Lightman got started with something, he didn't do anything half way. He was an "all-in" kind of guy. This thought thrilled her and frightened her at the same time. He was reckless, brash, and sometimes careless. His thirst for adventure and truth often got him into trouble. But he was also gentle, devoted and intensely passionate. Passionate. She could feel herself getting hot.

Taking a drink, Gillian sighed. "Em, I do love your father, very much."

"Then why don't you do something about it? You would both be so happy together." Emily intensely desired for her father to be happy. She had watched him suffer for so long after the divorce and now that Emily was leaving for good, she worried about him.

But it was more than just concern for her dad's future loneliness that spurred Emily on. She adored Gillian. With her own mother in Chicago, Gillian had become a kind of surrogate. Shopping, dining, talking into the late hours about all things female had become their habit as of late. Her dad was practically giddy every time Gillian took Emily out for a night on the town. Gillian was a good influence on Emily…even Emily could see that.

Nodding, Gillian replied, "Your dad and I have been through a lot together."

"Yes, and that means you have seen each other at your best and at your worst. Despite it all, you still love each other. Seriously Gillian, I don't understand what you two are waiting for. Doesn't it seem slightly silly that you're both choosing to be alone instead of being deliciously happy together?"

Gillian thought for a moment as she twirled her linguine around her fork. When had Emily become so insightful? The truth was, Gillian was tired of going home to an empty house. She couldn't begin to count how many times she had gone to bed at night wishing that Cal was next to her. Or how many times he had been the first person she called when something went wrong or when she had good news. How many times a day did she find herself wandering into his office, making up some excuse just to see him?

Gillian shook her head. "Em, to tell you the truth, I'm afraid."

Emily's eyes widened. "What are you afraid of? You know my dad would never do anything to hurt you."

"Oh, I know that Em. It's just that I've been down this road before with Alec. I was so madly in love with him. We were both "deliciously" happy as you would put it, for a long time. But then things changed. Our marriage fell apart and now, we barely speak to each other."

Emily reached across the table to take the older woman's hand. "And you're afraid that if things go wrong with my Dad, it will wreck your friendship." It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact.

"When did you become a relationship expert?" Gillian asked.

"I watched my parents split up, get back together and then split back up again. I watched my dad wear the same shirt to work for 3 weeks in a row. I listened to them fight and slam doors and I watched him come home plastered every night for weeks."

Gillian nodded. "I remember that. Your dad had a rough time."

"Yes, but that's just the thing. You were the person that got him through it. I remember when you would come over first thing in the morning to give him aspirin and a cup of coffee for his hangover. He would yell and scream and take it out on everyone at work…especially you…and you never got mad. You were so kind and understanding. Do you remember the time that you sat up all night with him at the hospital because he had put his hand through a wall after a fight with mom?"

Gillian chuckled. "Yeah, he needed 13 stitches. Good times Em, good times."

"How many times has he been there for you when you have needed him?" Emily asked.

Gillian relented. Cal was always watching out for her. Whether it was trying to protect her from her poor choices in men or comforting her when a friend died, Cal was never far away.

"The point is, you have seen each other at your very worst, and you still love each other. You've already faced bad times together and you're stronger for it. You don't get that very often, maybe once in a lifetime." Emily pulled her napkin from her lap and plopped it onto her plate. "Please don't waste any more time Gillian. Someone has to make the first move."


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, so this chapter turned out to be a bit more violent than I had originally intended. As always, thanks for the great reviews!**

CHAPTER THREE

The ride back to the Lightman house had been a relatively quiet one. Gillian was lost in her thoughts, and Emily, sensing her inner distress, silently looked out the window. Gillian replayed their conversation over and over in her head. _"Someone has to make the first move."_ What was she waiting for anyway? Though Cal Lightman often called her his "blind spot," Gillian Foster generally had little trouble reading him. When Cal looked at her, she saw love. That much was undeniable. But sometimes she wondered if Cal harbored the same worries. Would a failed relationship destroy the beautiful friendship that they had? Cal had told her once that he never wanted to "taint" her in any way by drawing her too far into his world. When Cal kept her out of things, or pulled away from her, she assumed he was trying to protect her. Could he overcome those worries? Could she?

Pulling up to Emily's house, Gillian was surprised to see that Cal's car was not in the driveway. "Where's your dad?" she asked.

"He told me he was working late tonight. Some tax fraud case or something."

"I wonder if I should go over and help him?"

Emily guffawed, "Are you kidding? Why don't you come inside for coffee? We can watch a chick flick until he gets home."

Thankful that she wouldn't have to spend a lonely night in a silent house, Gillian hopped out of the car, grabbing the bag of leftovers. The house was dark except for the lone porch light above the front door.

"I just realized that we skipped dessert! I think we have some chocolate ice cream in the freezer if you want some." Emily opened the door and made her way into the darkened kitchen. Flipping on the light, she dropped her shopping bags onto the table and headed for the freezer. Suddenly, she felt herself being hurled into the freezer door, her face slamming into the stainless steal. Before she could regain her senses, a body pushed her up against the refrigerator, the cold metal of a knife pressed against her neck.

"Emily Lightman…such a pretty little girl." A thick, masculine voice, slightly muffled through the black ski mask that he wore made the hair on her arms stand up. Heart hammering in her chest, Emily tried to move her body but found herself completely pinned; the foul breath of the intruder filling her nostrils.

Gillian followed Emily through the front door but stopped to hang up her coat and kick off her high- healed shoes. It had been a long day and her poor feet were aching. She reached down to rub the arch of her right foot when she heard noises from the kitchen. "Emily," she called, wondering if the girl had fallen.

The sight that greeted her as she entered the kitchen made her blood run cold. Emily was pinned up against the refrigerator, the immense body of a man pressed up against her.

"Hey!" Gillian yelled, trying desperately to divert the man's attention. Without relinquishing his grip on Emily, the intruder turned towards her, surprised.

He looked Gillian up and down and started to chuckle. "Well, well, well, Dr. Foster. Isn't this a happy coincidence?"

"Who are you and what do you want?" she demanded.

The man chuckled to himself. "Its two for one night I guess." With that, he turned back to Emily.

Gillian grabbed a coffee cup from the counter and hurled it at him with all her might, hitting the intruder square in the back of the head. For that brief moment, he lowered his knife, giving Emily a chance to fight back. Kicking and punching, she tried to squirm away from the man in the mask, cutting her arm on his knife in the process.

Gillian launched herself at the man's back, grabbing his shirt and pulling. As Gillian pulled him off balance, Emily scurried past his feet on all fours just as the masked assailant turned and plunged his knife into Gillian's abdomen. Gillian let out a strangled cry and Emily stopped in her tracks, staring in horror at her friend.

Gillian started to back up, blood pouring from the wound in her gut. The intruder pushed her hard against the counter, readying his knife for another go. Gillian peered over his shoulder at the terrified girl crouching in the corner of the kitchen. "Emily, run…..go please, run." The knife hit her again, this time just below her ribcage. Unable to stay on her feet, Gillian fell to her knees. "Emily, go, please…." Blood started to pool at her mouth, running down her chin as she began to choke.

Emily darted for the hallway leading to the front door, certain that at any moment the armed assailant would tackle her from behind. Surprised to have reached the front door unscathed, she whipped out her phone and started calling 911 as she raced down the darkened street.

Gillian's world was spinning in circles. Relief overwhelmed her as she watched Emily make a dash for the front door. Her attacker gave her a quick kick in the head, finally sending her to the cold tile. In a daze, she looked up in time to see him start after the fleeing teenager. With the last bit of her strength, she reached for his left leg and wrapped her arms around it. As his momentum was abruptly interrupted, the masked man fell to the floor, the knife he was carrying plunging into his shoulder. Letting out a fierce cry he turned on a stricken Gillian and with his right foot, kicked her in the face. Her body slid across the bloody floor, slamming into the cabinets at her back. Gillian felt herself plunge into darkness, her last thought the hope that her young friend was safe.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

Cal was torn. He wanted to run out into the hall, turn over chairs and scream at the top of his lungs. This could not be right. Emily had to be mistaken. "_He killed her_," echoed over and over in his mind as he held his traumatized daughter close to his chest. He willed someone, anyone to come in and tell him what was going on. Was Gillian really dead? He needed some information but his daughter's death grip on his waist kept him rooted to his spot in trauma room #1.

Emily again started to sob, her tears soaking Cal's shirt. Reaching up to his own face, he was surprised to find that it too, was wet with tears. His mind raced through hundreds of memories of Gillian; her perfect posture, the flirtatious way she moved her body in those form fitting dresses that he loved. He remembered the joy she found in all things sweet, her high healed shoes and perfectly toned legs, the comforting hugs and words that she freely gave him when he had had a hard day. These things and so many others played in his mind one right after the other. And then, another memory hit him like a mack truck. _"What are you waiting for?" _His daughter had asked him that question so many months ago, and yet, the courage to forever alter his relationship status with his best friend continued to elude him. He felt the bile rising in his throat. He had never told her how he felt. Guilt and shame filled his heart and before he knew it, his own sobs echoed Emily's.

A quiet knock on the door, a soft hand on his back and a feminine voice calling his name pulled him out of his tortured reverie. Turning slightly, still holding Emily, he stared at the face of Detective Sharon Wallowski. He noted the look of shock on the detective's face as she observed his swollen eyes and red, runny nose. "Cal, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Looking down at his daughter, who had grown still in his arms, he tilted her chin upwards to look at him. She looked so tired…bone tired. "Em, why don't you lie down for a few minutes. I'll be right outside the door." Emily nodded and curled herself into a ball on the hospital gurney. Covering her up with a blanket, he kissed her cheek, letting his fingers trail over the bruise marring her young face before following the cop out into the hallway and closing the door behind him.

"I guess you heard what happened?" Cal asked.

"Cal, I'm so sorry. The guys are at your house right now taking pictures and blood samples." Cal winced. "There is no sign of the intruder but they did find a few bloody footprints leading from the kitchen to the front door, so that's something." Why was she telling him this? He wanted to throw up at the thought of Gillian's blood spilling all over his kitchen floor.

Wallowski, put a hand on his arm and smiled. "Cal, things are going to be okay."

"Shazzer, don't give me that. Foster's dead. She was killed in my house while my daughter watched. How are things ever going to be okay?" Cal heard himself yelling.

Wallowski's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, no one's told you?"

"Told me what?"

"Gillian is in surgery. She was stabbed twice and lost a lot of blood but they're working hard to save her. I'm so sorry, I thought you knew."

Cal felt his knees give way and he would have certainly crashed to the ground had Wallowski not braced his arms. "Lightman, come and sit."

"No, I'm okay…I need to tell Em."

"Cal, you are as white as a sheet. Come and sit before you pass out. I'll get you some coffee." Helping him to the nearest couch, she turned and made her way to the vending machine. Cal sat in a daze, staring at the sign on the wall that warned him of the dangers of cell phone use in the hospital. When Wallowski returned, she was carrying a steaming cup of coffee and a muffin. Cal took the Styrofoam cup and asked, "Do you know anything else?"

"I know that there was an intruder in your house when Emily and Gillian returned home. From what the investigators told me, some dishes were broken and some chairs were overturned. It looks like they tried to fight back. I'm not sure how Emily escaped but at some point, we're going to need to interview her."

Cal nodded. "She'll barely talk to me."

"They found her huddled in the neighbor's shed. The officers that responded tell me that it took a while for them to find her. She was the one that called 911."

Cal's blood began to boil. Never in his worst nightmares could he have dreamed something like this would happen. Cal was a risk taker, that much was for sure. He threw himself right into the spider's lair on more than one occasion whether it was a serial killer or a drug dealer. As a result, he had seen many, many horrible scenes. Blood, trauma, and even death were constants in Cal's line of work. But, he never wanted his baby girl to see the things he saw. The thought of her crouching in the neighbor's garden shed, alone and frightened, made him want to vomit.

"Cal, let me know when she's ready to talk to someone."

"Will you be the one to do it? I trust you to handle her with care, yeah?"

Wallowski put her hand on his shoulder. "Whatever you need Cal. But try not to wait too long. She's an eye witness and we need her statement."

Cal felt like he was in the twilight zone. Statements, eye witnesses, attempted murder...how did his daughter get involved in all of this and even more important, when was someone going to give him some news on Gillian?


	5. Chapter 5

**Oh man you guys...your kind reviews make me want to keep posting. There's an awful lot of angsty, worried Cal coming up so hope you like that sort of thing. **

CHAPTER FIVE

The elevator doors opened and Cal pushed Emily's wheelchair over the threshold and onto the 3rd floor. Emily had been persuasive in her argument that she was strong enough to see Gillian without the wheelchair but the doctor had insisted that it was hospital policy. As he took in the hustle and bustle of the hospital intensive care unit, Cal started to get nervous, wiping his clammy hands on his jeans.

Pushing Emily into a corner, he knelt down in front of her so he could look at her face. "Em, are you sure you want to do this?"

"I'm not a baby dad."

"Nope, I know that love. It's just that Gillian may not look like Gillian. I just need to know that you are going to be okay with whatever we see."

Emily stared defiantly at her dad. "Are you going to be okay with this?"

No, he definitely was not going to be okay with this and Emily knew it. "All right then, let's just face it together, yeah?"

Cal took a deep breath as the nurse at the desk pointed them to Gillian's room. "Here we go then."

Despite his mental preparation, Cal was horrified at what he saw when he walked through the door and saw his best friend. He immediately wanted to turn Emily around and make a run for it. How was she going to cope with this? How was he?

Gillian had endured five hours of surgery and two cardiac arrests. Her spleen had been obliterated and part of her liver so damaged that a section had to be removed. The blood loss had been massive. Cal had been prepared for that. He had readied himself to see tubes and wires and even the possibility that Gillian wouldn't be breathing on her own. What he was not prepared for was her beautiful face. Her flawless features were marred by a colossal bruise that covered her right eye, cheek and jaw. While the right side of her face was an angry black and blue, the left side was so pale it was almost translucent. Her freckles stood out in stark contrast to her ashen skin. "Bloody hell," Cal muttered, grinding his teeth in rage. He didn't realize that he had started to shake until he saw Emily's concerned face peering up at him. "Dad, you okay?"

Cal was startled when Emily pulled away from him, feebly rising to her feet. She moved towards Gillian's right hand and carefully grasped it. "Hey Gill," she said, biting her bottom lip as tears threatened to spill. Pulling up a chair, she sat down, stroking Gillian's hand with her thumb. Cal's heart swelled with pride. His daughter was so brave, much more so than he.

Taking his place on the other side of the Gillian's bed, he took a closer look at her. There were tubes and wires everywhere. The largest and most obvious was the one that was taped to her mouth, going down her throat, helping her breathe. Her chest rose and fell at a steady pace, the machine making a loud "whooshing" sound with each forced breath. Tubes and IVs were in her arms, hands, and neck, delivering medications, fluids, and most importantly, blood. Cal had a hard time knowing what to touch with all of the hardware.

"Her hands are cold." Emily's voice was barely a whisper as she placed both of her hands over Gillian's in an effort to warm it up.

Cal gently touched Gillian's left hand, being careful not to jostle an IV. "Probably from the blood loss love."

A stray tear trickled down his daughter's cheek. "Hey Em…she's going to be okay. You know Gillian. She's as tough as nails she is."

"You don't believe that."

Cal's insides turned to water. Was Emily reading him? Truth be told, seeing Gillian like this was like a kick in the gut. Aside from the equipment keeping her alive, she looked dead. For Emily's sake, Cal had been trying to make his face the picture of calm and confidence but he obviously was not pulling it off. He reached up to Gillian's head and stroked her hair, pushing it behind her ear. "Not gonna let her die Em."

"The swelling and bruising are probably going to get worse before they get better." Cal spun around at the fresh voice that had entered the room. Gillian's doctor was walking towards him, hand outstretched. "I'm Dr. Conrad. I know she looks terrible. She may look worse over the next few days, I just want to prepare you for that."

"She gonna be okay doc?" Cal was afraid to ask.

Dr. Conrad looked at Cal and then at Emily. "She's got a tough road ahead of her. The internal damage was extensive. We're watching out for infection of course...anytime you have abdominal wounds this severe, you have to worry about that. She also lost a tremendous amount of blood. With that kind of loss, we have to worry about other organs...her brain, her kidneys."

Emily's brown eyes were as big as saucers. "When will she wake up?"

"That I can't tell you sweetheart. She's in a coma. Comas are tricky. They could last for a few hours, days or weeks…we just never know. But, she's young, she's strong... I think we can pull her through. " Dr. Conrad was a short man with a round, red face that was warm and friendly. He gave Cal a feeling of assurance. This doctor was telling him the truth and for that he was grateful.

Dr. Conrad continued. "You can stay with her for a few more minutes but I happen to know that Dr. Waite is anxious to get you back down to your room young lady." He patted Emily on the shoulder and left the unit.

"When does mom get here?" Emily asked, rubbing little circles over Gillian's knuckles.

Cal inwardly groaned. "Her flight comes in in about an hour. She'll be here soon Em." Cal was not looking forward to the confrontation that he knew was coming. Accusations would be flying about his inability to keep their daughter safe. Zoe had always resented the fact that Emily had chosen to live with Cal in D.C. instead of following her mum to Chicago. "_A girl needs to be with her mother_!" Zoe had told him. But, in the end, they had let Emily choose and it had warmed Cal's heart when she chose to stay with him. As a result, he felt like his parenting skills were constantly under a microscope. Cal had no excuse to give his ex wife this time. Though he could have never predicted such a calamity, he still felt guilty. Was he somehow responsible? Cal sighed. "Em, as soon as your mum gets here, do you think you'd be up for talking to the police?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Let me know what you all think! Thanks for the encouraging words...it makes writing this so much more fun!**

CHAPTER SIX

The whirlwind that was Zoe Landau arrived right on schedule. As a successful and talented lawyer, Zoe never lacked in poise and confidence. She strode purposefully into Emily's hospital room and gathered her into a tight hug. If she felt any shock at Emily's bedraggled appearance, her face gave up no clues. Emily immediately started to cry. Cal stood and placed a hand on his ex-wife's back. "Welcome home Zo."

As Zoe turned towards him, Cal took note of her haggard demeanor. She was wearing baggy jeans, a college sweatshirt and flip flops. Her normally flawless hair was pulled back in a hasty ponytail. Instead of the immaculate layer of make-up that she usually wore, her lips shone with a little bit of lip gloss and nothing else. It was obvious that she had hopped on the very first red-eye flight out of Chicago. Despite her significantly "dressed-down" appearance, Cal was reminded of just how beautiful she really was. "Cal, what the hell happened?" Her tone was not accusatory, just filled with concern.

"We don't really know. Emily and Gillian returned home from a shopping date and there was an intruder in the house. Emily got away with only a few bumps and bruises, thank God."

Zoe took a moment to really study Emily and digest this information. Cal had not missed the brief look of contempt that flashed across Zoe's face at the mention of a shopping expedition with Gillian "Cal, has she talked to the police?"

"Not yet love. We were waiting for you to get here."

Kissing Emily on the forehead, Zoe took her face in her hands. "Em, I'll be right with you the whole time okay? Do you think you can do this?"

XXXXXXXX

"Do you remember anything else Emily?" Detective Wallowski asked, her face soft with sympathy.

Emily looked straight ahead, barely registering the presence of a host of police officers, her father and her mother.

"I think I've told you everything that I saw Detective." Emily was a mere shadow of her former self. The rosy cheeks and sunny personality had been replaced with exhaustion and grief. Re-telling the horrifying events that had occurred just a few hours ago had drained her. The bags under her eyes stood out in sharp contrast to her too pale pallor. Cal was worried.

"Emily, did he say anything to you?"

Emily looked at the detective and nodded her head. "He knew my name. And then when Gillian walked in, he recognized her too." Emily took a shaky breath. "He was so happy that Gillian was there. He said it was 'two for one' night or something like that."

"What do you think he meant by that?" Wallowski asked, placing a hand on Emily's arm.

"It's almost like he was going to go after Gillian once he finished with me. He was surprised to see us in the same place."

Silence filled the room as reality set in. This was not a random home invasion. This was a calculated attempt at an execution. Looking at his ex wife, Cal could see the rage filling her eyes, and the blame.

Emily broke the silence. "She saved my life you know."

Zoe stared at her daughter. "Who did darling?"

"Gillian. She threw a coffee cup at him…hit him in the back of the head. Then, she practically pulled him off of me. I was able to escape…but he turned on her instead." Emily started to cry. "I should have stayed and helped. But I was so scared. She told me to run and I did. I just ran."

Cal strode over to his daughter's bed and embraced her in a tight bear hug. "You did the right thing Em. Don't ever doubt that. If you'd have stayed behind, you both would have been killed. You did the right thing….you did the right thing….."

Zoe stood up from her chair. "I think we're done here folks. Emily has had a long night and she needs to eat and sleep."

Taking their cue, the officers left the room, passing sympathetic glances in Emily's direction. Wallowski signaled for Cal to step out into the hallway with her.

"Give me a minute Zo."

Once the door closed, Wallowski put her face just inches from Cal's. "You need to get her out of here."

"I know that. Zoe's gonna take her to a hotel somewhere."

Shaking her head, Wallowski continued. "This was a professional hit that failed. Emily is an eye witness. Whoever ordered this hit is going to try again Cal, I'll bet my badge on it. We can provide guards for Gillian's hospital room…that's about the best we can do. But Emily cannot just go back home."

The enormity of his problem suddenly hit him. "What can I do Shazz? I can't keep her with me at all times, she'll go bloody bonkers."

"There's always witness protection. We can relocate her to a safe house somewhere." The minute Wallowski said it, she knew this was not going to be an option for Cal. He had enemies everywhere…both in and out of government.

Cal shook his head. "Not with their spotty track record."

"All right then, you've proved my point. If Emily were my kid, I'd leave town. I'd disappear for a while…get off the grid."

Cal gave her an incredulous look and Wallowski laughed. "I know, you can't imagine not being right in the thick of finding this guy. But Cal, I swear to you, I won't let this go. I'll figure out who did this and we'll get him. Just take Emily and go. It will be good for the both of you."

The impulse to run into Emily's room, gather her in his arms and make a run for his car quickly passed through him. How he would love to just get away and close the door on the horrors of the last 24 hours. He trusted Wallowski. He knew that she wouldn't relent until the person who did this was brought to justice and Emily could feel safe again. Perhaps he should just go. He could be packed and ready to leave within the hour. He'd have to borrow a car from somewhere…perhaps Loker would lend him his? He didn't trust that his own car wouldn't be followed.

And then, the picture of Gillian, lying upstairs in the intensive care snapped him back to reality. "Shazzer, I can't just leave. There's got to be another way."


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

Cal watched as Emily slept. After seeing her through an emotional few hours, he had stroked her hair and held her hand while seeing her finally drift off into a fitful slumber. Her hospital room was quiet. Cal had given the staff strict instructions that only Dr. Waite and a few of the nurses that he trusted would be allowed to enter. Loker and Torres had popped in for a few minutes until it became apparent that her disheveled appearance had made Emily feel embarrassed. The pair quickly left to sit with Gillian.

Emily did look terrible. The bruise on her cheek had swollen considerably. Bandages covered the wounds on her head and arm. The internal damage that Emily had suffered, though not as visible as her most obvious wounds was not lost on Cal. She was going to need to get some help. Already he had had to still her as she began to thrash about, in the throes of a nightmare. Cal could feel himself grinding his teeth again. The nameless, faceless intruder had taken something very precious from his daughter. Would she ever feel truly safe again? Would nightmares of this event plague her dreams forever more? Ordinarily, Cal would immediately consult with his favorite "shrink"…as he often did where Emily was concerned. Gillian would always confront his issues with Emily from both a professional and a personal perspective. Now, this too, had been taken from them.

Cal smiled as Emily sighed in her sleep. How he loved his daughter. Wallowski's words kept flooding his mind. "_You need to get her out of here_." Cal didn't know what to do. The people that he could truly trust had been whittled down to a precious few. Turning in his chair, he searched for his ex-wife. Perhaps she was the answer. Though their relationship was often one of harsh words and terse exchanges, he knew that where Emily was concerned, he could trust Zoe. Spotting Eli Loker in the hall, he flagged him down. While Loker sat with a sleeping Emily, Cal set off to find his ex wife.

After checking the cafeteria, the waiting room and getting a voice mail on her cell phone, Cal found himself getting off of the elevator on the 3rd floor. Passing the guard at the door, he stopped dead in his tracks, his jaw practically hitting the floor. There, sitting next to Gillian's bedside, was his ex wife, clasping Gillian's hand in her own. Cal was glad that he had made such a quiet entrance. The shocked looked on his face would have surely scared Zoe off.

Clearing his throat he made his presence known. Startled, Zoe turned towards him. "Cal…is something wrong with Emily?"

"No love, she's sleeping soundly. Loker's sittin' with her." Leaning in to kiss the top of Zoe's head he asked, "How's Gill doing?"

Zoe shrugged her shoulders, still gripping Gillian's pale hand in hers. "She looks terrible Cal. Did someone kick her?"

Cal looked closely at his partner's face. Sure enough, as the bruises had deepened and gotten more ugly, an obvious shoe tread mark began to appear.

"Wallowski and her team just left. They took some pictures. I told them it would be okay."

Cal only nodded his head, his eyes glued to the ugly signs of the violence Gillian had suffered.

"Cal, you okay?"

Shaking his head Cal shifted his gaze to his ex wife. She looked tired, but still lovely. He read concern and worry in her expression. There were no traces of the blame and accusation that Cal saw earlier and that he was sure was forthcoming.

"Zoe, I'm so sorry. I don't know what else to say. I wish I could tell you who did this and why but I just don't know."

Zoe turned back to Gillian. " I'm so glad she was with Emily last night. Cal, what would have happened….?" Zoe wiped her eyes. "I can't event think about it."

Cal put his hand on Zoe's shoulder. "Em's lucky to have two amazing women in her life."

"I owe Gillian my life Cal. She sacrificed herself to save my child. How do you repay something like that?"

Cal could see the tears threatening to spill from Zoe's eyes. Her lower lip quivered as she fiddled with the piece of tape holding Gillian's IV in place. Cal had never seen his ex wife so vulnerable. Ordinarily, she was a shark; in the world of legal-ease, going after whatever and whomever she wanted. She was unrelenting in research; her passion for her clients, unmatched. Her passion for their daughter was even greater. And yet, here she was, looking like she just crawled out of bed, sitting at the bedside of the woman that at one time, she had truly disliked.

Why Zoe and Gillian didn't get along, Cal couldn't quite determine. He suspected that Zoe had always been a bit jealous of Gillian. During those early years in particular, when they were struggling to get their business off the ground, Cal saw more of Gillian than he did his wife and daughter. Gillian was a beautiful woman and even though she too was married at the time, Zoe was bound to be resentful.

Zoe's question still hung in the air._ How do you repay something like that?_ Cal too, was trying to not allow his mind to go to that dark place where Emily enters the house alone, with no one to protect her. The results would have surely been catastrophic.

Gillian was so many things to him. She was his partner, the brains of the whole operation. She was his best friend, his confidant. Though he had yet to admit it to her, she was the love of his life. And now, she was his savior, in a way. She had given him back a most precious gift…the life of his daughter. Cal could probably spend the rest of his life trying to pay her back for what she did last night and never come close to compensating. Cal suspected that Zoe felt the same way.

"Cal…are you with me?" Zoe's brown eyes were wide with concern.

Cal smiled and moved to the opposite side of Gillian's bed. "Thank you Zoe." Cal's voice was barely a whisper.

"For what?"

"For staying calm. You have every right to tear into me right now. I didn't keep Emily safe. This is my fault. If I could trade places with her you know I would."

Zoe stared dumbfounded at her ex husband. This was a side of Cal she rarely saw. She wanted desperately to rage at someone; to blame him for bringing this down upon them. It was clear that this assault on their family was a result of something he had done to piss someone off. That happened a lot with Cal. But, despite her anger, she couldn't bring herself to hurt him anymore.

"Cal, I'm proud of you."

Cal gave her a look of disbelief.

"No, really, I am. You're here. You're not running off trying to brazenly track down and exact revenge upon whoever did this." She looked at the still form in the bed. "You really love her don't you?"

And there it was. What should he tell this woman with whom he shared 14 years of marriage and a beautiful daughter? The truth probably would be the best.

"Yeah Zo, I do."

Zoe's response surprised him. "Good. I've suspected as much for a long time. You two both deserve to be happy so as soon as she wakes up, don't waste any more time."

Cal about fell off of his chair. He was consumed with a rush of love for the dark haired, brown eyed woman that was so desperately trying to deflect Cal's guilt and shame somewhere else. Perhaps they had both matured a bit.

"Zoe, I have a something important to ask you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Cal cradled Emily in his arms, her tear stained face pressed up against his chest. His own tears flowed freely, pooling atop Emily's head.

"Please let me stay dad. Please don't send me away." Emily was gasping for breath. Cal hadn't seen this side of his daughter for many years. Once, when Emily was 5 she had misplaced her beloved Tickle Me Elmo doll. Cal had hated that annoying little doll but Emily was crestfallen. He had searched the house, the car, the backyard and when he could not find it, she had burst into uncontrollable tears. Her tears were not quenched until Cal discovered her prized toy shoved deep under Emily's toddler bed mattress. How times had changed. How he longed to turn back the clock and go back to that simpler time.

Zoe placed a hand on Emily's back. "Emily…honey, please. Your dad is right. We need to keep you safe and this is the only way."

"But I don't even know where we are going. I can't even say goodbye to Gillian." Emily's face was twisted in anguish. "How will I know what happens to her? What if…" Emily bit her lip. "What if she dies?"

A sob escaped Cal's throat as he pulled his daughter even closer. "I don't even want you to think about such things Em. I told you already, I'm not going to let her die. That's a promise."

"That's a promise you can't keep and you know it dad." Cal knew she was right. Everything was spinning out of his control.

"Dad."

"Yes, Em?"

"Please keep your promise okay? And when she does wake up, will you promise me one more thing?"

"Whatever you want love."

"Please tell her that you love her. Don't wait any longer."

Taking her face in his trembling hands, he tenderly kissed her forehead. "Emily, the minute I see those beautiful blue eyes, I promise you, Gillian will know how I feel."

"No more waiting?"

"No more waiting." Emily was right. He had waited far too long to tell Gillian that he loved her. The fear of rejection, the worry that loving her would damage their friendship…all of it faded into the background as he thought about the possibility of losing her. Gillian was like air to him.

Pulling Emily back into a fierce hug, he kissed the top of her head before letting her go. Turning to his ex wife, he handed her a set of car keys and an envelope filled with money.

"This should be enough Zo. Don't tell me where you are going. When this is all over, I will call you on this phone, so keep it charged. Don't use it until you hear from me."

Cal handed Zoe the phone he had purchased this morning. He was sending them with a borrowed car and enough cash to last them several months.

He pulled Zoe aside, out of Emily's earshot. "Zo, there's enough money there for you to get her some help. She's havin' nightmares. If they get worse, go see someone."

Zoe nodded and took the phone, the keys and the money from her ex husband.

"Remember, no credit cards, no phone calls to family or friends. Just drop off the map for a while okay?" Cal's hands were trembling as he placed them on Zoe's shoulders. Smoothing her rumpled shirt, he looked up at her face. Zoe had become an expert at masking her emotions whenever Cal was present. 14 years of living with a human lie detector will do that to a person. But now, on this horrible day, her face was an open book. He saw fear, sadness, anger, compassion, and even love. Kissing her quickly he grasped her hands and said a silent "Thank you" that only she could read.

Cal watched in silence as the tail lights of the loaner car got smaller and smaller in the distance. He stood in the same spot for several minutes after they disappeared from sight. Pushing past his sadness, Cal had to admit the huge sense of relief that he felt. Emily's safety was his first concern. The farther she got from D.C., the better that Cal would feel. But for now, as Emily made her flight to destinations unknown, Cal had a promise to keep and it was time for him to make good.

**Thanks for the reviews guys! I had to get Emily to safety before Cal could focus on Gillian. Some major Cal/Gill angst coming your way so stay tuned...and keep reviewing!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Just a short one today. Hope you enjoy!**

"Dr. Lightman, would you like to tell me about her?" The 30 something red headed intensive care nurse that had endeared herself to Cal was staring at him with warm, compassionate eyes. Nurse "Sarah" rarely left Gillian's side. Even now, her shift over, she sat with them. Cal looked on her as an angel of sorts. Her calm demeanor and confident professionalism filled him with hope.

Cal didn't know where to start. He took Gillian's still hand in his and started massaging her slender fingers.

"When I first met her she was working for the Pentagon as a shrink. I was her client and from that first day, I was intrigued by her. She had a way of putting me at ease, making me feel comfortable and safe. She's good at that." Cal felt his throat tightening.

"Take your time Dr. Lightman."

Clearing his throat he continued. "I asked her to be my partner…to take a big risk with me and start the Lightman Group. She had no reason to trust a plonker like me but she did. She threw everything she had into our little business."

"I hear you are human lie detectors?"

Cal smiled. "Something like that, yeah. I didn't realize how lucky I had been to find Gillian until she and I started to really work together. She's bloody brilliant."

"You two seem very close."

Cal ran his hand up and down Gillian's forearm, massaging the muscles as he went. "She's my best friend. You now that old saying about opposites attracting? Gillian is like a calm breeze to my constant storm. I've grown pretty attached to her."

"Does Gillian know how you feel?"

Cal looked at Sarah closely. She was a lovely woman, charming and funny. He didn't notice a wedding band which led him to wonder why someone had not snatched her up. "You have someone in your life Sarah?"

Sadness briefly passed across her face. "I did once. My fiance and I had set the date, booked the church, and I even had my dress picked out."

Cal knew something awful was coming. "He died in a car accident 2 months ago. I'm still trying to get over it."

Cal couldn't breath. Averting his gaze, he looked down at the bed. How awful. A feeling of empathy washed over him. On some level, he knew what she felt. Sarah would probably give anything to go back in time and tell her fiance once more how much she loved him. Cal kicked himself again for not professing his love for Gillian. He had come so close on so many occasions but had failed, always assuming that he had plenty of time.

Nurse Sarah reached up and punched a button on the digital display that monitored Gillian's vitals before looking back at Cal. "You know it's not too late right? It's possible that Gillian can hear you talking to her. I've seen patients wake up from a coma and describe in detail the conversations that had been going on around them while they were unconscious. You just never know…so it doesn't hurt to try."

Cal knew that the time had come. Part of him felt guilty that the only way he could tell her how he felt was when she was unconscious. He should have said something when she was healthy and strong, not weak and frail. But what if Gillian didn't wake up? What if, God forbid, she didn't make it through this? What then?

"Listen Dr. Lightman. The other nurses and I are getting a little bit worried about you. Any chance I could persuade you to go home, get some food and even a bit of sleep?"

Cal shook his head. "I've slept."

"Sleeping in a plastic chair does not count. Come on. Go home, take a shower, get some rest. You'll be no good to Gillian if you're dead on your feet."

Cal truly did want to go home. He wanted to climb deep under his covers, turn off all of the lights, close the blinds and hide. For just a few hours he wanted to pretend that his daughter was not fleeing for her life and his best friend was not fighting for hers. The only problem was that going home meant confronting the center of the storm. What horrors would he see there?

Standing up, he leaned in and put his face close to Gillian's. Pressing his lips against her forehead, he let them linger there. As he ran his fingers through her soft hair, he opened his mouth to speak but couldn't seem to get the words out. "Gill," he croaked. "I'm going home for a bit. Sarah's gonna stay with you until I get back okay?" He looked up at Sarah who gave him an encouraging nod. " I love you Gill. I love you so much. Please stay with me."

Sarah flashed him a broad smile. "There now. That wasn't so tough was it?"


	9. Chapter 9

**I don't now about you guys but I still remember how sad I was the day that I found out that my favorite show was cancelled. (it's been almost a year) I soooo appreciate this site because I can still get my Cal and Gillian fix! You guys have been so good about posting new stories for me to read. I figured it was my turn to contribute something since I've been living off of your work for the last year! So, hope you enjoy my contribution. Please R&R. (and thanks for the great comments so far!...this story is completed and stored on my computer so if you continue to like it, I'll keep posting:)**

CHAPTER NINE

Cal grasped the end of the counter to keep himself upright. The scene that he was taking in made his blood run cold. The state of his kitchen was worse than he had prepared himself for. Stools were overturned, dishes broken, and worst of all, an immense pool of dried blood stained his tile floor. Cal could barely peal his eyes off of it though he willed himself to look at anything else. Gillian's blood. Cal felt his meager breakfast start to come back up.

Wallowski, stepping in front of him, blocked his gaze. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Cal cursed under his breath. "I've got to face this Shazzer. The sooner I do, the sooner we can catch this wanker."

"I wanted to show you something."

Cal followed his friend into the hallway leading from the kitchen. "The blood pattern changes here. " Wallowski pointed to the hardwood floor. "See the drops of blood leading out the door?"

"Could it be Emily's blood?"

"We thought that initially so I had my guys run the blood type against Emily and Gillian. It's a different type all together."

It dawned on Cal what she was getting at. "It's HIS blood? Are you saying he was wounded?"

"All the evidence points in that direction. Since Emily didn't reveal anything in her account, we think Gillian may have injured him after Emily ran."

Pride swelled in his heart at the thought. "That's my girl," he mumbled under his breath.

"There's something else that I need to show you." Cal followed the detective into the living room where another officer held up a plastic bag. Taking a closer look, Cal realized what was inside. It was a knife; enormous in size and smeared with crimson.

"We found this in the dumpster two streets over. The lab is testing the blood now but we suspect it is the weapon he used."

Cal took the bag and fingered the weapon through the plastic. "I suppose it would be too hopeful to assume there are any prints?"

Sharon Wallowski shook her head. Cal gave the bag back to her and thanked her. He really was grateful for his detective friend. In another place, at another time, he and Wallowski may have had a chance together. They had given it a shot, if only briefly, during a period that Cal might have called his "mid life crisis." With an unfinished book looming over his head, the financial stability of their company in question and his relationship with his partner in self inflicted tatters, Cal had drifted towards the beautiful cop not because he loved her but because she was familiar. He knew Wallowski because Wallowski was just like him. They bantered back and forth, slinging insults at will while taking their aggressions out on each other. He couldn't do that with Gillian. She was his "pure soul' and Cal was convinced that when he got into one of this "moods," it was best to just stay away. In his mind, distancing himself from Gillian kept her safe and unhurt. But Cal had been wrong. That period had hurt Gillian deeply. Cal grimaced at the memory. He had wasted so much time.

"We're going to scour the local hospitals for any emergency room admissions from that night requiring stitches. We know his shoe size and the shoe tread. We've got the guy's blood type and the weapon, so hopefully we can start putting pieces together." Cal knew that Wallowski was talking to him but he was barely listening. He felt the intense urge to run out of his house, go back to the hospital and curl up next to Gillian. Let the cops figure this one out.

"Cal, why don't you go upstairs, take a shower and grab a nap? We're going to be here for a while and then, I'll stay and start cleaning up."

"You going to be my bodyguard then?" Cal gave her a playful wink.

"Someone has to save you from yourself." She nudged him with her elbow and he made his way to the stairs. He was so tired. Perhaps a small nap would clear his head.

* * *

_Cal flew down the halls of the Lightman Group, following the bloody footprints that stained the polished floors, his heart quickening when he realized where they were leading him. The clear glass doors of Gillian's office were open, but there was no sign of her at her desk. Searching frantically for his partner, Cal let his gaze follow the blood trail to the corner of the room. There, lying on her side, curled up in the fetal position was his best friend._

_Racing to her he took note of her pale skin and labored breathing. "Gillian…oh God, Gil." He saw her hands, desperately clutching to the wound in her stomach, having no success in staunching the blood flow._

_She looked up at him. "Cal…I can't do it anymore. It hurts so much…" Tears started to flow from her eyes and Cal found himself crying along with her._

_Placing his own hands over hers and pressing down, she gave a tortured grunt as her eyes began to close. "No, no, no Gil, please don't go. Stay with me love."_

_She opened her eyes one last time and genuinely smiled at him. "I love you Cal." With those words, Gillian Foster's eyes closed forever._

Cal shot upright in his bed, screaming Gillian's name while clutching the damp bed sheets. He was covered in sweat, his clothes sticking to his clammy skin. Oh God, it was just a dream. Cal willed his racing heart to slow down. Holding his head in his hands, he started unwinding his feet from the twisted sheets. The dream had seemed so real. Grabbing a blanket from a nearby chair, Cal wrapped himself up in it, trying to fend off the icy chill that was now settling into his gut.

After several minutes, he rose, turned on the shower, and began to undress, tossing the clothes that he had been wearing for the past 2 days in the corner. As he stood under the scorching water, he couldn't wash away the feeling of dread that had overcome him. Cal leaned his head against the shower door. He had never felt so alone.

When he returned to the hospital, it was immediately apparent that something had changed. His pace quickened as he realized that the guard normally stationed at Gillian's hospital door was missing. Before he reached the room, he ran straight into Eli Loker, his hands extended, trying to stop Cal from going any further.

"Lightman, hold on a second…"

"Sod off, where's Gillian?" Cal gave Eli a shove as he looked into the room to discover that Gillian was not there. Running his hands through his hair he walked past Eli to the ICU desk. "Where's Sarah? I need to know what's going on!'

Before the nurse could answer, Loker grabbed Cal's shoulder and turned him around. Cal resisted the urge to punch his protégé in the face. "Lightman, I know what happened, just calm down for a sec."

Cal took hold of Eli's arm and led him to the corner of the room. "Where is she Loker?" Cal was trying really hard to keep the panic out of his voice.

"I came in to sit with her for a while, " Eli began. "I was telling her about how beautiful the weather was and about all of the flowers that were coming up when the alarms started going off." Eli paused to compose himself. "Everyone came racing in screaming something about her heart and about her abdomen being filled with blood. We tried calling you but there was no answer."

Cal took a step back, reeling from the news. Images of his dream came flooding back. _"Cal…I can't do it anymore. It hurts so much…"_ Was she trying to warn him? No, that was silly, it was just a dream. Gillian was the strongest person he knew.

Loker continued. "They raced her out of here so fast that I didn't really get any answers until I talked to your nurse friend, Sarah, is it? Anyway, she said that Foster started bleeding again and they took her up to surgery to figure out from where."

Cal started to pace. Two surgeries in two days…was her body strong enough to endure it? Checking his watch, he strode up to the nurse at the desk and gave her strict instructions to call him the minute Gillian got out of surgery. Grabbing Loker by the jacket, he hauled him towards the elevator.

"Lightman, where are we going?"

"I can 't help her right now Loker. There's nothin' I can do for her while she's in surgery so let's get to work."


	10. Chapter 10

**Took the kids hiking yesterday...sorry for not updating. Hope those of you still following this story are enjoying! Let me know!**

His office. Even though it had only been two and a half days, it felt like he hadn't seen the place in ages. Staring at the enormous pile of file folders in front of him, Cal felt himself getting discouraged. The files contained past clients; rapists, drug dealers, murderers, even a tax cheat or two. Where was he to begin? How many people held a grudge against him or the Lightman Group?

He recalled a conversation that he had had with Gillian several years ago. _"You have a knack for pissing people off, you know that?" _Cal had been defensive, saying it was how he got results. Gillian, on the other hand, would never have a stack of files this large. Aside from the cultist whose wife and children she had helped rescue, most of her clients had nothing but praise for her mild mannered, professional treatment.

Pushing the pile of files away from him, he flung his head against the chair's headrest. "Gill, I can't do this without you," he muttered as he closed his aching eyes.

A knock at the door startled him awake. Ria Torres walked in, twisting her hands in anxiousness. Plopping herself down on the chair in front of him she looked at her boss through red, swollen eyes. Cal was taken aback by her appearance. "You okay Torres?"

"Funny, I was just going to ask the same about you."

Cal smiled. "Don't I look right as rain to you love?"

"No, quite frankly you look terrible." Blowing her nose, Torres continued. "How's Foster?"

"She's hanging in there. They have her in surgery again right now. I'll be heading back over when she gets out. She'll pull through." Cal deliberately looked at a spot on his desk while talking to Torres. Ria Torres was one of the finest lie detection talents he had ever seen. He called her a "natural."

Despite his deflected gaze, Torres could read the doubt all over his face but she gave him a pass. "She's going to be fine Lightman. I know it."

Nodding his head, Cal looked back up at his protégé. "Now then, I've got some work for you and Loker to do." Shoving the pile of file folders in her direction he laughed as her eyes widened in surprise.

"Tell me that's not a pile of people that hate you. That's a pretty big group!"

Cal chuckled. "I do have a reputation to uphold you know. But yes, I need you to go through these files with a fine- toothed comb. This was an attack directed at me; make no mistake. Someone out there wants revenge and I'd bet my left arm, its one of this lot."

As Ria gathered the files into her arms, Cal stood up and placed his credit card on top of the pile. "Here, order some dinner for everyone. Work all night if you have to."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

When Cal and Gillian established the Lightman Group, their first office was a tiny 500 square foot room in the back corner of a strip mall. To say they struggled would have been an understatement. It was just the two of them, working long, tedious hours together. They approached every case as a team, bouncing ideas off of each other, doing research together, and interviewing clients as a duo. Despite the fame and notoriety that had come from their hard work, Cal still found himself missing those days. His heart yearned for that lost time even more now as he sat in Gillian's empty office.

Gillian's office could not be more different than his. Cal's walls were painted gray, the room filled with relics of his many journeys around the world. Gillian would always encourage him to take a few of them down. " They're so creepy!" she would say. In contrast, Gillian's office was light and sunny, just like her personality. Everything was made of glass, from the doors, to the giant window, to her bookshelves. It was an open and inviting place, just like her. Cal felt better sitting here.

Looking down at her desk, he picked up a picture that was in a tiny silver frame. It was a picture of the two of them, all dressed up for a gala at the art museum. Cal had his arm around her, while Gillian held a glass of champagne. Gillian practically glowed. Cal could barely stifle a sob. She was so beautiful. Cal had been with many women in his life but none could hold a candle to his breathtaking partner.

Cal's eyes wandered to another picture on Gillian's desk. He recognized it as a picture that he had taken last year at their summer picnic. He hated those events but because Gillian loved them, he tolerated the heat, the silly field games and the mosquitos. In this picture, Gillian's head was thrown back, her mouth open in laughter. Emily was standing next to her, a mischievous grin on her face. Cal had no idea what Emily had said to make Gillian laugh but the picture made him smile. These were the two most important women in his life and the fact that Gillian had framed this picture and placed it on her desk warmed his heart.

He wondered how Emily was doing. Was she happy? He knew she was safe because he trusted his ex wife. She would die trying to protect their daughter. But he worried about the teenager. She should be anxiously planning out her college courses, packing her bags with stylish clothes, and buying items for her dorm room. Instead, she was making her way to unknown destinations, hiding.

Cal knew that the bruises and cuts Emily had suffered were probably healing just fine. Was she okay on the inside though? He hoped Zoe was getting her some help. Grinding his teeth Cal felt his blood pressure starting to rise. The person that did this would pay for hurting his family, of that he would make sure.

The cheerful tone of his cell phone interrupted his vengeful musings. Pulling it from his pocket, he almost dropped it in his haste. It was the hospital. The perky voice on the phone informed him that Gillian was out of surgery and that he could come see her anytime. Without responding, Cal hung up the phone, shoved it in his pocket and made his way out the door. Revenge would have to wait.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys! Small chapter but big stuff is about to happen so stay tuned!**

CHAPTER 11

An alarm went off and Cal's eyes shot up to the digital display above Gillian's right shoulder. He was growing accustomed to these alarms and Sarah had been teaching him how to read the monitors. Over the last few days he had become an expert at keeping track of Gillian's heart rate, blood pressure, and blood oxygen level.

After the second surgery, Gillian looked awful. Cal couldn't imagine that any more tubes could be attached to her body, but somehow, they were. Cal was almost glad that she wasn't awake right now. After such trauma, sleep was probably the best thing for her and he doubted that she would have the strength to confront the physical and emotional pain that he knew was coming. No, rest was best right now but it didn't make seeing her like this any easier on Cal.

The night nurse wandered in, looked at the display, and turned off the alarm. "Her temperature has gone up," she stated, placing a hand on Gillian's forehead. Looking at Lightman, she smiled. "Don't worry Dr. Lightman. She's running a low grade fever which is quite normal after major surgery. We'll keep our eye on it." Cal let out a shaky breath.

After much discussion and a bit of bribery, the staff at the hospital let him stay as long as he wanted. He had become a constant fixture in Gillian's room and the doctors and nurses just worked around him. The fact was, no one could protect Gillian like he could. He studied every face that entered her room. Cal knew that aside from Sarah, he annoyed the hell out of the nursing staff. One detrimental side affect to micro expression analysis was that no one seemed to look him straight in the eye.

Cal's mind wandered back to work. So far, Torres and Loker had found very little to go on. Wallowski's hospital search had come to a dead end. There had been no emergency room admissions that night that were suspicious. Cal rubbed his eyes. He wondered if progress would hasten if he was at the helm. Though he had been in constant contact with his team, he had barely left Gillian's side. This fact surprised him. Cal was a man of action. Sitting so still and quiet for such a long time was not in his nature at all. Cal put his hand on Gillian's forehead, feeling the heat rising from her skin. What wouldn't he do for this woman?

As the night nurse left, Cal began to talk to his best friend. He told her about the weather, and about the nurse and doctor that he suspected were having an affair. "Hey Gil," he cooed. "You're not gonna believe it but I left the kids in charge! If we're lucky, the place will still be in one piece when we get back."

Moving his hand down her face, he grazed his thumb along her cheekbone, carefully avoiding the bruising. "I love you Gil. Please wake up darling. What would you say to a quiet vacation, just the two of us? We could go to a beach somewhere warm and just sit in the sun all day. I'd have to cover myself with an inch of sunscreen but I'd do it for you. You could drink pina coladas all day long and at night, I'd take you to a restaurant with really rich food and chocolate desserts." Cal felt his throat tightening. "God Gil, please come back to me."

He sat at her bedside, staring at her, stroking her hair and mumbling whatever words came to his mind for hours, his mind constantly drifting to his daughter, the investigation, and the future.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She kept hearing voices. They were mostly unfamiliar ones, talking in muffled tones about something she didn't understand. She willed herself to open her eyes but her body felt heavy and impossible to command. Every time she tried to focus on what the voices were talking about, a dense fog began to cloud her mind. Why wasn't her body working? And there was something else. Pain. She felt it often; a burning heat radiating from her abdomen to what felt like every part of her body.

Again she heard voices, even felt a hand on her forehead, and again, her attempts to reach the surface were met with frustration. Why was she so helpless? And then, one particular voice pierced through the dark cloud that filled her brain. Cal. Cal was nearby, and he was talking to her. Desperately, she fought to move her body…anything to let him know that she was still with him.


	12. Chapter 12

**This is my most favorite chapter! Hope you enjoy!**

CHAPTER 12

Cal stood at the foot of Gillian's bed. He had one of Gillian's stocking covered feet in his hands, slowly massaging her heal. Moving to the ball of her foot, he chuckled. "These poor, tormented feet. Honestly Gil, I don't know how you can stand to stuff your feet in to some of those heals. High time you gave them a rest I'd say."

Cal was always making light of Gillian's choice in shoes. Whether she was wearing the sexiest of dresses or her casual, form fitting jeans, Gillan always wore heals. One year for Christmas he bought her a foot massager as a gag gift. She took one look at it, rolled her eyes and stuffed the box under her desk, swearing never to use it. Cal had to laugh when one day he walked into the office and heard the gentle rumbling of the foot massager under his partner's desk, her face a picture of pure delight as the heated rollers kneaded the soles of her feet. _"Just trying it out Cal. Not that I need it…" _

Cal covered up Gillian's right foot and moved on to her left, grinding his fingers into the arch. As he did so, he noticed a slight twitch in Gillian's closed eyes. Encouraged, he moved to her toes, rolling each one between his fingers. Again, Gillian winced. Cal felt his hopes soar and he started to babble. "See, your feet hurt don't they? Seriously love, what's wrong with just wearing a pair of tennis shoes? Do you know that I remember the shoes you were wearing at one of our first meetings? Can you believe that? I can't remember my ex wife's birthday half the time but I remember your bloody shoes. They were red clogs. Mighty comfortable lookin' I might add. You looked sexy as hell that day….couldn't keep my eyes off ya." Cal kept his eyes on her face, never stopping with his ministrations.

"Of course, I still can't keep my eyes off of you…after all these years. Come on darling, I think you can hear me. Please open your eyes love." Cal was growing desperate. Had he imagined the slight movement? Moving to the side of her bed, he grasped Gillian's left hand in his and squeezed hard. The monitor started to beep as her heart rate increased. "Almost there Gil. Just open your eyes for me."

Cal gasped when Gillian's hand closed around his. Tears started to run down his cheeks, pooling into his growing beard. "That's it love. Come back to me please."

Pain. Deep, piercing pain was the first thing she encountered as she willed her heavy eyelids to open. The light was too bright, her skin felt like it was on fire and the angry heat radiating from her belly threatened to consume her and send her spiraling back into sweet darkness. But there was something else too. His face, wet with tears appeared in her line of sight. Cal's face. God, he looked terrible. What on earth was going on?

Gillian's discomfort turned to panic as she tried to take a breath. The offending machinery helping her to breathe let out an angry squack. She frantically reached for her mouth, trying to pull the tube out of her throat. Cal's cool hand caught hers in a tight grasp.

"Shhh, darling. Let it be. It's helping you breathe." Cal quickly pushed the button for the nurse as Gillian grew more frantic. Her eyes were filled with fear and pain. "Gil, please relax." He put one hand on the side of her cheek and moved her head to look right at him. "Gillian, I've got you. Just relax and look at me." Gillian's blue eyes began to water. She stared at him, confused and frightened as tears began to spill down her freckled cheeks onto his hand. Cal kissed the top of her feverish forehead as he felt Gillian grow still. He watched and soothed as the nurse and doctor raced in.

Gillian's eyes had already started to grow heavy, the black fog reaching to her with its inviting tendrils. Cal continued to stroke her face as she drifted back into unconsciousness. "That's good enough for today. Just rest darling, I'll be right here."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Cal was determined to be there when she woke up again. It had been 24 hours since she had first reached the surface. Part of him worried that so much time had passed but Sarah assured him that this was normal. Gillian's body was exhausted. The herculean effort she had put out to just pull herself from unconsciousness had used up all of her dwindled energy.

Looking up from the paperwork that Loker had dropped by, Cal took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He glanced at the small cot in the corner and inwardly groaned. He hadn't been sleeping well. Sarah had arranged for the cot to be set up, but it wasn't comfortable in the slightest. Cal longed for his king sized bed and 800 thread count sheets.

Placing a hand on Gillian's leg, Cal briefly rested his head on her bed. The soft whirring of the equipment and the beeping of the monitors lulled him into a quiet sleep. Cal had no idea how long he had been asleep when he noticed a change in the pace of Gillians' heartbeat. Raising his head to look at the digital display he noted that her heartbeat was indeed increasing. He pulled himself closer to her face. "Gill, …open your eyes for me." Cal couldn't help but smile as he watched her draw her eyebrows together, eyelids fluttering.

Slowly, Gillian's soft, blue eyes opened and almost instantly, Cal read two things: fear and pain. Gillian tried to throw her head back, her eyes wide with panic but was stopped by the equipment helping her breathe. Cal placed a hand on her forehead. "Gil, relax darling…you're safe." Gillian grew more frantic, the agony of her injuries hitting her. Cal quickly pushed the button that would directly deliver pain killers through her IV. In mere minutes, Gillian's expression softened and she slowly turned to look at him.

Cal held his breath. He noted the tears that had started to fall from her eyes. Wiping them from her battered cheeks, Cal started to talk. "God Gill, I'm so glad to see those beautiful eyes. I've missed you love."

Gillian's face transformed into one of confusion. "You had an accident love. Do you remember anything?"

Cal watched as she tried to process her memories. Part of him hoped that she didn't remember what happened at least for a little while. That hope was quickly dashed however, as her eyes widened. She frantically tried to pull the tube from her mouth again, in an effort to talk to him. Cal stopped her. "Gill, it's going to be okay. You're safe now. I'm not going to let anything happened to you."

Gillian shook her head, her eyes pleading with Cal. "What's got you so concerned? You've had a rough couple of days but you're on the mend." Again, she shook her head, growing more agitated and then, it dawned on him. Emily.

Grasping both of her hands in his, he forced her to look directly at him in the hope that she would read the truth on his face. "Gill, Emily is fine. You saved her life. She's gone out of town for a bit with her mum, but she's doing great." Cal hoped that that last part was true. Gillian's features visibly relaxed as more tears leaked out of her swollen eyes. Cal wiped them away as he felt his own begin to spill. "I love you Gil, so much. I want you to know that." Cal felt a weight lifted off of him as he uttered those words.

Gillian's eyes widened and she reached for his hand, giving it a strong squeeze. In the absence of her sweet voice, this quick acknowledgement was enough for Cal. Squeezing back, he watched as her eyes grew heavy again, the painkillers dragging her back under.


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"I'm at a dead end Cal. The hospital search was a bust and we've exhausted your list. " Wallowski had pulled Cal out of Gillian's room. She was obviously worn out, her only mission over the last week to find Gillian's attacker.

"Shazzer there's got to be something we can go on!" Cal felt like a sitting duck. He hated having a guard tagging along behind him whenever he went home or to the cafeteria. He hated that Gillian was still so fragile. Anyone that really tried could figure out which room she was in. He hated that he didn't know where Emily was. He hated that he couldn't help her heal too.

"We're working on it Cal but my captain is all over me for spending so many man hours on this. We're swamped right now at the precinct and he wants me to focus on more than this one thing."

Before Cal could respond, Wallowski gave him a wink. "But don't worry. I don't always do what my captain says." Cal was again struck with a rush of appreciation for his detective friend.

Cal turned around as soft footsteps approached him from the back. Sarah's sweet face was before him, flashing him a huge grin. "You'll be happy to know that Dr. Foster is now breathing on her own. We just took the tube out and she's breathing like a champ. She's much more comfortable now." Cal gave Sarah a broad smile as she continued. "And here's some more good news...we'll be moving her out of the ICU tomorrow."

Despite his irritation at the stalled investigation, this news made Cal want to leap for joy…and had he not been in mixed company, he might have even clicked his heals together. Gillian's voice. He needed to hear it again. Dragging Wallowski with him, he turned and made his way down the long hallway back to Gillian's room.

The trio stopped short at the sight of a huge cart of tubes, vials and bottles, broken and scattered across the floor. Pieces of glass and various fluids were everywhere. What the hell? The nurses and orderlies were all frantically trying to keep hospital patrons away from the scene until the biohazard team arrived. Cal looked past the mayhem at Gillian's room, his way blocked. Was there another way to get there?

"Cal!" Cal turned to Wallowski whose voice had gone from calm to alarmed. "Who's that man in Gillian's room?"

XXXXXXXXX

Cal plunged through the shards of glass, ignoring the protests of the hospital staff. Where was the guard at Gillian's door? Flinging open the door to Gillian's unit, Cal launched himself at the huge man in the white lab coat, just as he finished injecting an unknown fluid into Gillian's IV.

Not missing a beat, Wallowski ripped the IV out of a sleeping Gillian's arm, causing her to wake up in confusion and pain.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Cal screamed at the man, forcing him up against the wall. The man outweighed Cal by at least 60 pounds but Cal's raging adrenaline gave him the advantage. Wallowski quickly pulled his arms behind him, throwing a pair of cuffs on while helping Cal hold the man still. Sarah and several other nurses raced in, their first concern their stricken patient. Gillian's arm was bleeding profusely where the IV had been ripped out; the contents of the IV bag spilling all over the floor.

"Speak you wanker! What are you doing here and what did you give her?"

"Hey, calm down man! I'm just doing my job!'

Because the man's face was pressed up against the wall, Cal could not read it. Turning to Sarah he asked, "Is this guy one of yours?" Sarah looked up from Gillian's bleeding arm and shook her head. "I've never seen him before!"

Cal punched the intruder in the kidney. "What did you give her?"

Letting out a pained scream, the giant man twisted around, elbowing Cal in the face. Turning his head, the man strained to look at Gillian. "What happened to her pretty face? Somebody kick her?" Cal punched him again before Dr. Conrad and the missing guard raced in to help. Between the four of them, they wrestled the intruder to the ground as Wallowski called for back up.

"Get him out of here!" Cal hissed as the trio pushed the man in the white lab coat out the door.

Cal turned to Gillian whose face caused him to freeze. "Gill, you okay?" She was violently trembling. As Cal reached for her, Gillian pulled away from him so fast that the newly placed IV threatened to rip out again. "Whoa, whoa, love, it's just me…you're safe now."

Gillian looked at him, and suddenly Cal understood. "You recognized his voice didn't you?"

Gillian nodded, her lower lip trembling as she wiped away the tears that were brimming. As he gathered her into his arms, the gentle voice that he had been longing to hear for the last 6 days finally spoke. "That was him, Cal. That was the man at your house."


	14. Chapter 14

**I had this chapter totally written and then decided to re-write it. I like this version better! Hope you do too!**

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

_Gillian felt like she was running in slow motion. She willed her legs to move faster but it felt like she was running in wet cement. She could smell his foul breath on her neck, feel his gloved hands reaching for her as she fled. She wasn't moving fast enough. Heart hammering in her chest, she felt his weight crash down on her back, pushing her to the hard ground. Gillian fought; kicking and punching. The man's enormous weight pressed her face and body down against the concrete, pinning her. Twisting her head up towards the night sky, she caught a flash of silver as the streetlights reflected upon his large knife. She braced herself for what she knew was coming. Horrified, she watched as the man's arm came down in one quick motion, the knife plunging into her back as a tortured scream left her lips._

"Gillian!" Cal wrapped his right arm around her as she started to violently thrash about, wires and tubes twisting, alarms starting to go off. Cal was terrified. Over the last few hours, Gillian's nightmares had become so intense that he had positioned himself next to her on the small hospital bed, his body laying next to hers, one strong arm draped across her chest, trying to immobilize.

Hearing her attacker's voice had opened a can of worms for Gillian. What had just been flashes of memory...bits and pieces of remembered events, had suddenly changed. Hearing his voice had triggered the rest of it. Entering Cal's house, seeing Emily's terror, feeling the knife plunging into her again and again...all of it came crashing back into her mind. Every detail played in her head from start to finish and she was powerless to stop it.

Cal held her tight as she began to weaken. He was breathing heavily from the effort, his arm a maze of red scratches as Gillian had clawed at him with her fingernails. Looking up, he noticed Sarah, standing off to the side of the bed, a syringe in her hand. "Dr. Lightman, we've got to put her out for a while. Gillian is going to tear out her stitches if she keeps that up." Cal cringed. He had been so delighted to see her eyes and hear her voice again. The thought of a silent, sedated Gillian made him want to cry.

"Can you give me a minute first, Sarah?"

The kindly nurse nodded and left the unit. Cal stroked Gillian's face, noting the wetness there. He kissed her right ear, whispering to her softly. "Gillian, darling...can you open your eyes for me please?"

Gillian whimpered. "Come on Gil, wake up. No one is going to hurt you."

Gillian opened her eyes and scanned the room, her heart slowing as she realized that she was in a hospital room and not face down on a dark street. She felt strong arms around her shoulders and chest, feeling the heat of another body pressed up against her side. Gillian took a deep breath. "Cal..."

His arms pulled her broken body closer. "Yeah?"

"Thanks." It was all Gillian could muster through her inflamed and painful throat.

"Anytime Gil." Cal took one of her hands in his, interlocking their fingers. "Gil, they're going to give you something to take the nightmares away okay?" Gillian shook her head but Cal continued. "Come on now, you have to get some good sleep."

Gillian turned her body so she could look at him, hissing in pain as she did so. "Don't leave?"

Cal smiled at her. "Wouldn't dream of it love."

He watched as Sarah injected the sedative into her IV. Gillian's eyes closed and then snapped back open several times before she finally relinquished her hold on consciousness.

"That's going to keep her under for most of the day."

Cal nodded and started to disentangle himself from Gillian's body. Tucking the blanket tightly around her, he took a moment to watch her finally peacefully sleep. God, she was so beautiful. Even battered and bruised, she was still the most gorgeous creature he had ever laid eyes on. His thoughts quickly flew to the man in the white lab coat. Though Gillian's life had once again been perilously close to ending, the man's idiotic attack on Gillian in the hospital had really been a gift. It had breathed some life into this case. All three of them...Cal, Gillian, and Emily needed some closure.

His cell phone rang in his pocket, earning him a warning glance from Sarah. She motioned with her head to take it outside. Cal walked past the guard at the door, giving him a once over with his eyes. He was older and taller than the last guard who apparently had had a real fear of blood. The minute the vials of body fluids had shattered on the ground, he had run into the corner to throw up, leaving Gillian's door unprotected.

Glancing at the caller ID, he quickly answered. "Shazzer...what you got?"

"I can have this guy in the cube in an hour. You want to question him?"

Cal looked towards Gillian's room. He had to do this. Though he had entrusted Loker and Torres with the business up to this point, this interview was all his. Quickly dialing Torres, he asked her to come and sit with Gillian, hoping that Sarah was right about her being knocked out for the rest of the day. He hated to leave her, especially after promising that he wouldn't but he guessed that putting this guy away would do Gillian more good than anything he could do for her here. He quietly entered Gillian's room and kissed her forehead. "I'll be here when you wake up Gil, I promise. Gotta go now...bad guy to catch."


	15. Chapter 15

**It's grown very quiet over here in Lie to Me Fanfic world. I wasn't going to post a chapter today but since it's so darn quiet, I figured why not. Reviews are always appreciated! Let me know you guys are still out there!**

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Cal pounded his fist on the table. Jeremiah Blunt sat in front of him in the cube, the lawyer appointed to him by the state sitting next to him. When it had become apparent that the would-be assassin was nothing more than an amateur hit-man, it was obvious to Cal that the danger had not abated with this arrest. Someone had hired Mr. Blunt to take out Cal's loved ones. Cal had no idea why or who and that fact frustrated him.

"Who hired you?"

Jeremiah was silent, not even the slightest hint of nervousness crossing his face.

"I'm going to ask you again. Who hired you?" Cal wanted to jump over the table and strangle the guy.

"What makes you think I'm going to tell you anything?" Blunt's voice was like ice.

Cal stood and placed his hand on Blunt's shoulder, digging in with his fingers. Blunt howled in protest. "You favorin' your shoulder are you?"

Shaking Cal's hand away from his injured shoulder Blunt growled, "Old injury."

"Well, that's a lie. Did she hurt you Blunt?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Another lie.

Blunt's lawyer nudged his client in the side. "You don't have to say anything Mr. Blunt."

Cal frowned at the attorney and pulled something out of the file he was holding. He hadn't wanted to use this, he could barely look at it himself. Flipping the photograph over, he slapped it down on the table, right under the lawyer's nose. His eyes widened in surprise. It was a picture of Gillian, unconscious and hooked up to the respirator, the shoe shaped bruise on her face angry and ugly. Blunt's attorney pushed the picture away from him and scowled.

"You didn't do your homework before you came after my family. Had you done a little research you would have known to keep your trap shut. Dr. Foster is a voice expert. She never forgets a voice and she has fingered you as her attacker." Cal said that last part with pride.

Blunt's eyes grew large. "You can't prove anything. It's her word against mine."

"Nah mate, we've got more than that to go on. What happened to your shoulder? Did you realize you bled all over the crime scene? Kind of sloppy don't you think? All we have to do is match you to the blood on my kitchen floor and you're done." Cal watched as panic washed over Blunt's face.

Cal plunged ahead. "What were you thinkin'…trying to get to her at the hospital? Mighty bold." Blunt was becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

Wallowski entered the cube and took a seat on the opposite side of the table. "Listen Jeremiah, we can help you here. Tell us who hired you and I might be able to get your sentence lightened. You're actually lucky that you didn't succeed in killing anyone."

Cal was seething. The though of this guy getting a break in exchange for information didn't sit right with him. He glanced at the picture of Gillian. Death itself wouldn't be punishment enough in his opinion. Wallowski stared at him, sensing his thoughts. "Greater good Cal." Cal nodded his understanding.

They watched as a myriad of emotions passed over Blunt's face. He was backed into a corner. Follwing a hunch, Cal plunged ahead. "Who do you owe?"

Jeremiah's eyes focused right on Cal. He was terrified. "What makes you think I owe anyone?"

Cal snorted. "Come on mate. You are an amateur at this, at best. You're no professional. Makes me think you're trying to pay someone off."

Blunt began to fidget. Nervously looking from his lawyer, back to Cal, he went on. "I've got a drug problem. I owe a lot of money to some pretty bad dudes."

Cal could feel himself getting hot. "So you figured this would be a quick fix did ya?"

Blunt nodded. "They told me it would be easy…just a couple of women." He reached up and rubbed his shoulder, glaring at Cal. "Bitch tripped me. I was going after the girl and she reached up and grabbed my foot."

Cal lunged for the man. Blunt quickly fell backwards in his chair, trying to scramble out of Cal's reach. Wallowski grabbed Cal's shirt just as he was about to launch himself over the table.

"Cal, cool it!" Wallowski growled, pushing Cal back into his seat.

Blunt's lawyer helped him up from the ground. "I think we're done here folks."

"No, no, no….we're not nearly done with this bloke yet." Cal had acted irrationally. He could see Blunt's walls coming back up and he kicked himself for potentially cutting off the flow of information.

Softening his tone, he continued. "How did you know who to go after then?"

Blunt stared at Cal, refusing to speak.

"Come on mate. This is my daughter and my best friend we're discussin' here. Sorry for scaring you. I just need to know who's after my family."

Blunt considered Cal's apology. "They gave me a picture of your daughter and of Dr. Foster. They told me if I didn't succeed, they'd come after me for the money I owe."

"So that's why you came to the hospital yeah? One was better than none?" Cal's fists were clenched tightly as he tried to control his anger. Two precious lives for a little bit of cash? Only a person void of any conscience could make that kind of trade. He found himself so grateful that he had gotten Emily to safety when he did.

Blunt nodded. "They'll kill me if I fail."

"Who is 'they' Blunt?" Wallowski gave Cal a sidelong glance. They were getting so close.

Blunt began to chew on his bottom lip, wrestling with himself about what to reveal. "Cordova," he finally said.

Cal rocked back in his seat, drawing his hand through his hair. He had not seen that coming.


	16. Chapter 16

**Just some fluffy stuff. Enjo**y.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Gillian's eyes snapped open, the remnants of her latest nightmare quickly fading. Looking around, she considered her new, smaller room. It was painted in natural hues…browns and tans, with a big window that looked out onto the parking lot. The sun was streaming in, warming the room. Sighing, she looked down at her body. The bandages and tubes made her want to cry. She had not seen her wounds yet but the startled looks on the faces of nurses, doctors and visitors as they entered the room told her that she must look terrible.

Shifting her body slightly, she gritted her teeth as the pain hit. Every part of her body hurt. Reaching for the button that would deliver a prescribed dose of painkiller, she reconsidered pushing it. She hated the medications. They made her so tired and sleeping was the last thing she wanted to do. Sleep brought nightmares. She hadn't told Cal about them but she guessed he suspected. Several times in the last few hours, she had awoken to his concerned face and a hand on her forehead, stilling her. She felt helpless, and ashamed and frightened and she knew that Cal could read it all.

Though she hated the medications, it was obvious she desperately needed them. Several hours ago, she had been in such a state of agony that she had bit down on her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. She hadn't even realized she had injured herself until Cal stopped her. Without the drugs, she was out of her mind with pain... with the drugs, she was out of her mind, period. Either way, Gillian Foster was miserable.

Reaching her hand down her left side, she felt the soft, shaggy hair of her best friend as he slept, his head resting on her bed while he sat in a chair. How could he sleep like that, she wondered. She placed her hand on his head, running her fingers through his sloppy hair. His previous confession of love brought a smile to her face. It was the one bright spot in the midst of many dark and painful hours. They hadn't talked about it yet and Gillian sensed that Cal was okay with that. Gillian wanted to have a better use of her faculties before she discussed their relationship further.

Cal stirred and looked up at Gillian. She looked better. Though the bruises were still there, they were changing color from purple to green, a sure sign of healing. Cal hadn't let Gillian see her own face yet, though she kept reaching up to feel her swollen cheekbone and eye socket. "Morning love." Cal stretched his aching joints and grabbed hold of Gillian's hand. "You sleep well?"

Gillian grimaced. "I don't know, why don't you tell me?" She didn't recognize her own voice.

"It wasn't too bad, Gil."

'Oh, is that why you are sleeping half on my bed, half on a chair?"

Cal relented. "Okay, you got me. You had a rough night. Do you remember much?"

Gillian tried to lie but knew he would see right through it. "I remember some. I remember you." Gillian tried to shift her body so she could see him better. She hissed and swore under her breath as pain shot from her pelvis right up to her collarbone.

"Gil, will you please stop moving around? If you need something, I can get it."

Gillian took a deep breath. "Okay, but come up her so I can see you."

Cal moved his chair closer to the head of her bed. Gillian couldn't help but smile when she took a good look at her friend. His hair was a mess…sticking up at odd angles, a week's worth of beard was growing on his chin and upper lip.

"You like my new look then?" Cal grinned. Seeing Gillian smile for the first time was like a breath of fresh air.

"Mmmm, very sexy."

"Really? Well, I'll just have to keep it this way then."

Gillian chuckled, wincing as she did so.

"You hurting?"

Gillian's dispirited eyes bored into his. He could see her hurt. He could also see her valiant attempt to mask the pain and worry and grief that she was constantly wrestling with. He was grateful that he had refrained from mentioning yesterday's interview with her. She hadn't asked so he kept silent, knowing that the information he had acquired would just cause her more stress. Grabbing her hand, he brought it to his lips. "They're gonna bring you some food soon. You think you're ready to try again?"

Gillian turned green. The last attempt at putting anything into her stomach, even a liquids-only diet, had resulted in catastrophe. She made it halfway through her bowl of broth when her stomach had rejected it. "I may never eat again Cal."

Cal laughed. "Somehow I doubt that love."

Gillian frowned as she looked at the IV in her arm. "It's not a very satisfying way to get nourishment is it?"

"Don't worry darling. You'll be back on your all chocolate diet in no time flat."

Gillian blanched. She needed to change the subject and quick.

"I wanted to thank Wallowski," Gillian whispered, still looking at her IV. "I think she saved my life."

Cal held his breath. "You remember that do you?"

"She pulled my IV out… before…." Gillian shuddered. "Before…anything went in." Gillian still had no idea what was in that syringe. She wondered if anyone was ever going to tell her.

Gillian bit her lip, considering her next words carefully. "I've been too hard on her."

The truth was, Sharon Wallowski was a good cop. Sure, she caused a major fissure between Cal and Gillian when she had asked Cal to lie for her to Internal Affairs. Gillian still smarted over that. But, Wallowski had been a huge asset to them as well. When one of Gillian's former patients was murdered, Wallowski's role in the investigation had been vital to nabbing the killer. She hadn't hesitated to help. Gillian couldn't remember if she had ever thanked Wallowski for that.

Cal noted the shame on her face. "Nah, love…I handled the whole thing wrong."

"Well, I can't disagree with you there, but I think I could really like Wallowski if I got to know her."

"There'll be plenty of time for that Gil." Cal stood up and kissed her on the nose. "Right now, I need to go see if I can rustle you up something to eat. Can't have you wasting away on me can I?"


	17. Chapter 17

**One more for you...hope it answers some questions. **

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Cal bounced his feet up and down while his hands twisted in his lap. The butterflies that were rapidly growing in his stomach had just started a frenzied flight.

"Cal, will you calm down please? This is so unlike you." Wallowski smiled at him from the driver's side of her unmarked car.

"Got a lot riding on this love." This was true. Johnny Cordova was at one time, the biggest drug lord in D.C. The drug enforcement agency and the FBI had been working for years to nab him. The trouble was, Cordova was an incredible liar and he had an alibi for everything. A few years ago, they had hired the Lightman Group to question Cordova and his ilk. Cal remembered that Gillian had taken the case very personally. Cordova and his thugs had worked their way into some of the highest levels of government; selling illegal drugs to many prominent people. Gillian had suspected that her own husband had been purchasing narcotics from Cordova's men for years.

"It was your testimony that sent Cordova to prison wasn't it?" Wallowski tapped his hand, pulling him back to the present.

"Yeah, mine and Foster's. The guy was so good."

Wallowski smiled. "But not good enough for Cal Lightman, right?"

"Well sure, but it was Foster's voice analysis that put the case over the top. Once Cordova was sent to jail, the other members of his group disappeared. The FBI spent months searching for them but they had vanished. I assumed they just set up shop in some other city. He had a brother…Nicholas. He disappeared along with the cartel soon after Johnny's arrest. I left Cordova off of my initial list of suspects because I knew that he was still rotting in jail."

Wallowki turned down her buzzing radio. "Indeed he is, and from what I'm told, he's a model inmate."

Cal chewed on his lip. "So why now?"

Wallowki was unsure how to proceed. "Well, I did some digging. When Cordova was arrested, his wife disappeared and his children were placed in foster care. We still don't know what happened to the wife, but we assume she's dead."

Cal stared at the detective, sensing that she wasn't telling him something. "Well, don't hold back love."

"The home where the children were placed burned to the ground two months ago. Both of them were killed."

Cal was silent, feeling the tiniest bit of empathy for Johnny Cordova. "Revenge, then?" he asked.

"Looks that way. We just found the prosecuting attorney. He was killed a few days ago in his home." Wallowski had to look away. The tortured look on her friend's face was just too much.

"Oh my God." It all fell into place now. The Lightman Group's testimony had ruined Cordova's life…in every way. With the connections that Cordova was sure to have, of course he would come after those responsible for robbing him of his family.

Taking a deep breath, Cal clenched and unclenched his fists. He was so damned lucky. Lucky that somehow, Cordova had found an imbecile like Jeremiah Blunt to go after Cal's family. He was lucky that Emily had been in Gillian's company that night. He was lucky that Gillian's maternal instinct had been strong enough to take down a man that weighed almost twice what she did. Yes, as bad as things were, it could have been so much worse.

"So, what now then?"

"We wait."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The sky was getting dark, the streetlamps flickering on. Cal watched as Jeremiah Blunt sauntered down the sidewalk towards the pre-determined meeting place. As part of their "deal," Blunt had agreed to set up a face to face with his contact. Cal knew that armed agents were not far away, waiting in the shadows, but that knowledge did not assuage his nerves. There was so much riding on this meeting.

Cal gasped as a man appeared from the shadows, wearing a dark coat with a hood. He shook Blunt's hand and before Blunt could say anything else, the cloaked man took out his gun and shot Jeremiah in the head, his body slumping to the ground.

Cal was out of the car and racing down the street before anyone could stop him, his raging adrenaline pushing him forward. He could hear Wallowski yelling at him to stop but he paid her no mind. Not sure what his plan was, he hurled himself down the sidewalk, jumped over Blunt's massive body and launched himself into the retreating back of the man in the hood. With a grunt, the man crumpled to the ground, gun flying down the pavement.

In seconds, officers and agents swarmed all over them. Wallowski was pissed. "Cal, you're an idiot," she growled as she helped him to his feet but Cal only had eyes for the enemy. "Let's see his bloody face," he screamed, ready to rip the guy's hood off himself if he had to.

Glaring at Cal, a plainclothes detective snapped a pair of cuffs on the man and turned him towards Cal. As the agent ripped off the hood, Cal smirked and moved closer. Just inches from the man's face Cal curled his lips under, baring his teeth. "You about your brother's business then mate?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Nicholas Cordova never took his eyes from Cal as he was forcefully placed into the squad car. Cal shivered. For all of Cal's bravado, this guy gave him the creeps. As the car began to drive away, Cal shifted his focus to the body on the sidewalk. One expertly placed bullet had killed Blunt instantly.

Cal wasn't sure what he felt for Blunt. The man must have been terribly desperate. Now, seeing Blunt's body bleeding into the street, his face frozen in a look of surprise, Cal almost felt sorry for him. Cal had everything…a daughter, a best friend whom he loved, a successful business. Blunt was just a lonely man hooked on a narcotic that he most likely used as a substitute for all of the things missing in his life.

"Sad way to end a life." Wallowski stood next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Cal nodded, shoved his hands in his pockets and quietly started walking back to Wallowski's unmarked car.


	18. Chapter 18

**It's a short one, but I thought you might want to know what Emily has been up to. **

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Emily Lightman rested her head against the headrest, her eyes closed, as she listened to the gentle rumbling of the highway racing under the tread of the tires. It was dark and very few cars were on the road at this late hour. Hearing her mother start to hum, she smiled, opened her eyes and stared at her.

One thing that this whole ordeal had done for Emily was draw her closer to her mother. Spending every minute of every day together for the past nine days had cemented their relationship in a way that Emily never thought possible. Over the past few years, she had found herself drifting away from her mom, entrusting most of her secrets to her warmer, softer, father. But over the last week and a half, Emily had begun to see a new side of her mom.

They had only been on the road for a few days, sleeping in cheap hotels, and eating terrible food when Emily had had one whopper of a nightmare. If she was asked to relate the details of the nightmare now, she probably couldn't. They had faded soon after she woke up. But what she did remember was her mother lying next to her, stroking her face and singing her a lullaby that she hadn't heard since she was three.

Emily was almost moved to tears now that she thought about that moment. It had marked a turning point for Emily. Knowing that her mother was near and her father was desperately working to bring her home, had given her a renewed sense of safety and comfort. The nightmares tapered off after that night.

She missed her dad. She wondered how he was holding up. Cal Lightman rarely cried. In fact, she couldn't readily recall a time when she had witnessed it, other than perhaps his angry tears shed after the divorce. Seeing him so helpless and vulnerable had surprised her, even frightened her. She longed to know what was happening in his world. Was Gillian still alive? Was she getting better?

Several times a day she opened the glove compartment to inspect the cheap phone that he had sent with them. Had she missed his call? She tried to temper her bitter disappointment as each day brought more silence.

Emily and her mom had managed to have some good moments though. Despite the circumstances, it was not all doom and gloom. They had visited the world's largest concrete gnome in Iowa, a guitar shaped home in Georgia and they were currently making their way to Texas to see a larger than life statue of Willie Nelson. Emily sensed that her mom was thoroughly enjoying herself. She had no idea that her mother had such a penchant for the obscure.

In preparation for her visit with Willie Nelson, she had forced the teenager to listen to his "Essential" collection. "You Are Always On My Mind," was what she was currently humming.

"Do road trips always bring out this side to you?" Emily asked.

"What side is that Em?"

"The country music loving, tacky tourist side of you."

Zoe turned and winked at her daughter. "I used to be a big country music fan before I met your father. He hated the music…said it drove him to drink."

Emily laughed. "He's a Brit after all."

Zoe nodded and resumed her humming.

Emily closed her eyes again, lulled into a light sleep by her mother's slightly off key voice. When the cell phone began ringing from the glove compartment, she thought for sure she was dreaming it.

"Em…..EMILY….wake up and grab the phone!" Her mother barked.

Rubbing her eyes, Emily realized what she was hearing. "Oh my gosh!" Grabbing the glove compartment door, she wrestled it open and retrieved the pinging cell phone, almost dropping it in her haste. Zoe pulled the car over to the side of the road, her eyes huge.

"Dad?"

Emily grinned at her mother as her father's distinct voice boomed into her ear. "Turn that car around Em! It's about bloody time you came home!"


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey guys! I know it's late but I am just barely getting around to posting. Hope you're all still enjoying. Please let me know! Gonna wrap this up in a few chapters...but don't worry, more Callian angst is coming.**

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Cal burst into Gillian's room, anxious to tell her about the events of the last few hours but he stopped short when he saw her face. She was sitting up slightly, which was more than he had seen her do up to this point but her face was a picture of anguish. Her lifeless blue eyes were glued to a spot on the wall, never registering that Cal had entered the room.

Inching closer to her, he became increasingly alarmed. She was pale, her cheeks pinched and drawn, dark circles under her eyes. When he had left the hospital to tail Blunt, she had been joking with him, flirting even. What the hell had happened while he was gone? He had only been absent a few hours.

Sitting down on Gillian's bed, Cal peered directly into her eyes. There was nothing. Cal waved his hand in front of her face. "Gil, love, where did you go?" Though she didn't look at him, a single tear ran down her cheek, dripping off of her chin. Cal reached up to wipe it away when she suddenly backed away from him. Cal raised his hands in the air, signaling to Gillian that he wasn't going to touch her.

"Gil, it's just me. You know I'm not going to hurt you." Cal scanned her body. Had they missed something? Was she bleeding, fevering, sick? What had changed? His eyes fell to Gillian's hands, tightly clamped around a small object. Cal gently placed his hand on hers, feeling her start to tremble but this time, she didn't jerk away. Carefully, Cal pried her fingers from the object. Picking it up, he realized what had happened. Gillian had been holding a tiny travel compact containing a small mirror. She had seen her injuries. Inwardly, Cal groaned. Even though her bruised and battered face had drastically improved from just a week ago, the wounds were still ghastly.

"Where'd you get this love?" Cal whispered, placing the compact on the side table.

Gillian closed her eyes and dropped her head. Shame.

"No, no darling, don't do that. You've got nothin' to be ashamed of. Gil, look at me." Cal tentatively placed his finger under her chin. Encouraged that she didn't move away, he tilted her face upwards. "It's healing, love. I know it looks bad, but I promise you it's getting better."

Cal hated this. This was so uncharacteristic of Gillian. She wasn't a vain woman, so he knew that her temporarily marred features were not the entire problem. This was a side of Gillian that he rarely saw. This was Gillian, absent the happy mask that she constantly wore. She was cutting herself off from the pain, from her feelings, from her memories. Cal guessed that being numb was just easier.

"You've got to talk to me Gil. You're the shrink remember? Please tell me what's going on." Gillian's eyes continued to stare into nothingness. Cal leaned forward so that his face was mere inches from hers. "Gillian?" He bent forward and tenderly kissed her bruised cheek, letting his lips linger for a second before moving to the side of her mouth.

"I love you Gil. I meant it when I said it before and I mean it now. Nothing will ever change that." Pulling back, he studied her once more. He watched as her lower lip started to quiver, eyes slowly focusing. Cal smiled. "That's my girl."

Gillian stared at him, recognition crossing her face. "Cal?"

"Right here darling. You okay?"

Gillian nodded, trying to get her bearings. "I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for Gil. You've been through a lot yeah?"

Gillian sighed, wanting nothing more than to crawl under the covers and hide. She turned her head to look at the offending object on the table. "I stole it from Torres' purse."

Cal tried to hold back his laughter. "Naughty, naughty."

Reaching up to feel her face, Gillian stifled a sob. "I didn't realize how bad it was…until." She cleared her throat. "Until I saw what he did to me."

"Gil, it looks so much better than it did." When here eyes widened, he wished he could suck his words back in. Her face at present was so markedly improved from what it had been just days ago. Cal made a mental note to tear up the picture he had shown Blunt's lawyer.

Gillian began to fidget, her hands twisting in the sheets covering her lap. Cal could almost hear the wheels turning in her head. How much did she remember?

Without having to ask, he was surprised to hear her begin speaking. "I remember being on the floor." She covered her mouth with her trembling hand. "Oh, God. He was going after Emily." Gillian's eyes flew to Cal's.

"Remember, love…I told you Em was fine?" Cal reached for Gillian's hand, squeezing.

Gillian was shivering, the room suddenly turning very cold. "I don't know what's real anymore. I have these dreams, and they're so vivid. I think they're memories but I'm not sure."

Cal reached behind him and grabbed the blanket off of his cot, wrapping it around her shoulders. "You saved her life Gil." Cal watched her closely, trying to decide how much she could handle. "I interviewed your attacker. He said that you tripped him."

Gillian's eyes darted back and forth as she tried to process. "I remember his feet. I think I grabbed one and then everything…" she took a deep breath as fresh tears started to fall. "And then, everything went black."

Cal wanted to kiss her. He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss every inch of her beautiful face. Knowing that that might be a bit too much for her to handle just yet, he decided to give her a bit of good news instead. "Gil, I talked to Emily today. She's on her way home and she can't wait to see you."

Gillian stared at him in silence, chewing on her lower lip and clutching the blanket tight enough to turn her knuckles white. Had she not heard him?

"Gil, did you hear me? I called Em. It's safe for her to come home."

Confusion and then understanding passed across her features. "Oh…" Gillian's wet eyes were like saucers. "You got him?"

Cal grinned. "Yep. We got him Gil. There's nothin' to worry about any more."

Gillian flung her head back against the bed, eyes searching the ceiling. After several moments she focused on him. "I want to go home Cal. Please take me home."


	20. Chapter 20

**Oh gosh, sorry for the delay. It's been a busy weekend! This one is kind of a maintenance chapter...but it's cute!**

CHAPTER 20

Gillian glared at the small bowl of thin applesauce that sat on the tray in front of her. Swirling her spoon around, she contemplated trying to take a bite. The thought made her stomach do somersaults but keeping some food down was a condition for her release so she wanted to make the effort. The doctors had fiddled with her medications, trying to help ease her nausea, but to no avail. Gillian wasn't worried. The stale air and antiseptic smell of the hospital did more to turn her stomach than any medication. The intense nightmares and memories that had laid claim to her brain, tormenting her mercilessly, didn't help the situation. No, getting out of this hospital, with its' constant reminders of death and sadness, would do her more good than anything the doctors could prescribe.

Gillian reached up and touched her dry, limp hair. There were so many things in life that she had taken for granted. Standing under a hot shower was one of them. The nurses tried to help her feel clean but she figured it would probably take more than one shower to wash off the smell of hospital. She longed for her peach body wash and shampoo. She wanted to scrub her skin until it peeled.

All of this was motivation for Gillian. When she had informed the doctor that she wanted to go home, he had given her a list of things to accomplish first. The list seemed daunting in her weakened state. She had to eat, and keep the food down. She had to get up and walk, have catheters and IVs removed and someone had to learn to clean and care for her abdominal sutures. She guessed that that someone was going to have to be Cal, though the thought mortified her.

Glancing at the cot in the corner, she smiled at her sleeping friend. Cal had been unfailing in his support and love for her. She had tried to send him home last night, seeing his exhaustion and his need for a good night's sleep, but he had refused. Truthfully, she was relieved that he had stayed. The thought of spending a nightmare filled night alone terrified her.

Placing the spoon on her tongue, she let the cold applesauce run into her mouth. It was slightly tart, but tasted good. Swallowing, she was pleased to see that it was staying down. So far, so good. She took another bite.

"Not exactly beans on toast, but at least it's something."

Gillian turned to see Cal grinning at her, his head perched on his hand, elbow buried into his pillow.

" Ugghh, much better than beans on toast." Gillian took her third successful swallow of applesauce.

Cal sat up and removed the thin blanket that covered his body, swinging his legs onto the cold hospital floor. He made his way to Gillian's bed. "What's on the docket for today Gil?"

Feeling her stomach start to cramp, she put her spoon down and took a deep breath, willing the applesauce to stay put. Cal's strong hands rubbed her back. "Breath in, breath out, love." Gillian nodded and closed her eyes as tears started to leak out.

"I want to go home Cal." She was growing desperate. Even though she took comfort in the fact that the case had been solved and that those responsible were either dead or in jail, she still felt vulnerable. She wanted to go home, pull her blinds, lock her door and properly cry. Cal had told her most of the story; about Blunt and Cordova and the rendezvous gone bad. She was fairly certain that he was leaving out details. It was all becoming too much for her. The tension of unshed emotions was welling up inside of her, threatening at any time to erupt. She wanted to be alone when that happened.

"They're going to come get you on your feet soon darling." Gillian recognized Cal's attempt to change the subject. "Do you want me to be here for that?"

Gillian vigorously shook her head. "Cal, you need to go home. Please, go get a decent meal, take a shower, sleep in your own bed."

"Gil, I don't mind stayin' with you."

Gillian studied his grizzled face, a feeling of warmth spreading from her head to her toes, immediately chasing her nausea away. She took his hand in hers, rubbing circles over his knuckles with her thumb. "How did I get so lucky?"

"You mean to catch a plonker like me?" Cal gave her a wink.

"Did I catch you?"

"Oh yeah, bloody hook, line, and sinker. You're not going to get rid of me, you know that don't you darling?"

Gillian beamed. "Is that a promise?'

Cal leaned in, brushing his lips against her cheek. "That's a promise love."

"Will you do me a favor then?" When Cal gave her a suspicious look, she continued. "Go home and take care of yourself. If you're not going to do it for you, do it for me. I need to know that you are okay and besides, Emily will be home soon. She's not going to like this Grizzly Adams look."

Cal pouted. "I though you said I looked sexy?"

Surprised by her own strength and sudden spontaneity, Gillian grabbed Cal by the shirt collar, pulling him close to her, his face just centimeters from hers. He smelled so good. Taking only a second to decide her next move, Gillian pulled his lips to hers, giving him a chaste but loving kiss.

Cal was flushed as he pulled back and smiled, noting that there was not a hint of embarrassment or regret on her beautiful face. "So you _do_ think I'm sexy?"

Gillian purred. "Mmmm, very much. Now, go home and get some rest. I'll still be here when you get back."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Cal practically floated to his house. Gillian Foster had just kissed him. And though it was brief, and simple, it held the promise of so much more. He could scarcely believe that the two of them had finally reached this point, after all these years.

Walking into his kitchen he stopped short. Wallowski had been busy. The tile had been scrubbed and polished, all signs of violence erased. How had she done it? Though he wasn't sure how either Emily or Gillian was going to face being in his kitchen again, he was grateful for Wallowski's efforts. At least it was a start.

As he made himself some eggs and toast, his thoughts drifted to the near future. Gillian was going to need help. She was determined to escape the confines of that hospital within the next day or two. Whether she was ready to leave or not was a moot point. Gillian had set her mind to it and Cal was certain that she would win the argument. But Cal knew that there was no way she was going to be able to care for herself alone. Physically and emotionally, she was going to need support. Would she feel comfortable staying here, at his home, at ground zero? For that matter, how would Emily react to being back in the house? Throwing his dishes into the sink, he decided to postpone thinking about it. He could barely keep his eyes open.

Making his way up the stairs, he opened his bedroom and looked around. A layer of dust covered his shelves and dresser. Opening a window, he let some fresh air in as he plopped on the bed. Removing his shoes, he laid back on his pillow, falling asleep almost instantly.


	21. Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

Gillian bit her lip in an attempt not to scream. This hurt. She had two nurses holding each arm as she attempted to finally rise from her bed, the blood rushing directly to her feet as she did so. She tried to take a few quick breaths to dispel the dizziness that instantly hit her.

"Gillian, try and stand. We're not going to let you fall." Gillian glared at the nurse. How was she supposed to do this? Her legs felt like jelly.

Sweating profusely from the effort, she shoved her stocking covered feet onto the floor, thrusting upward with her thin legs. She let out a cry of triumph as her legs straightened and held her upright. Gillian marveled again at what she had previously taken for granted. The simple act of standing up and walking was such a miracle.

"Okay Dr. Foster, now see if you can take a step or two."

Biting down on her bottom lip, Gillian commanded her right leg to move. Nothing. She took a deep breath and tried again. This time, she was able to barely shuffle her foot along the floor before she felt herself begin to collapse. The nurses held her up as she began to fall and she let out an exasperated cry. Why was this so hard?

"We've got you Gillian. Just stop for a second and try again."

Gillian was breathing hard. She was so glad that she had sent Cal away. As much as she loved having him here with her, she didn't want him to see her in this state. She started to feel angry. Angry that someone would do this to her, that her independence and health could be robbed from her so easily, and that she hadn't rebounded as quickly as patients do on TV. She felt her abdominal wounds start to burn and fresh tears started to cascade down her sweaty cheeks. She silently wondered if she could ever go back to her pre-accident self.

The nurse at her right must have sensed what she was feeling. "Gillian, use that anger and frustration to move your body. Don't let yourself stop!"

Gillian growled as she focused on the chair 5 feet from her. If she could just make it to that chair, she would consider this first battle won, and she'd be one step closer to going home.

* * *

It had taken 30 minutes for Gillian to traverse the room. She had made it all the way to the chair, the bathroom, and then back to the chair, sweating and swearing as she did so. Having accomplished this Herculean task, Gillian's catheter was removed, much to her delight.

Now, the room emptied at her request, she sat quietly in the vinyl chair in the corner. She was at the mercy of the hospital staff, knowing that she would never make it back to her bed without some help. Gillian reached down and rubbed her aching leg muscles. She was ordinarily a fit and trim person, running 5 to 6 miles a day. After just a week and a half, her muscles were weak, her body having shed at least 10 pounds.

She flung her head back against the chair, closing her eyes. She could feel it coming. The release that she so desperately needed was close, ready to erupt from her. The unshed tears were waiting for the dam to break. The sight of her body and the effort it took to do the most basic of tasks, had started to crack the barriers that she had put up. Gillian shook her head. Not now. Not yet.

Letting out a sob, Gillian felt herself let go. Her body shook with grief as she brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She didn't try to hold back now, the cries and sobs coming out of her unabated as painful memories darted in and out of her mind.

She lost track of time and her surroundings. Nurses popped their heads in, giving her worried and sympathetic looks, but mercifully, sensed her need to be alone. She didn't stop her weeping until she felt a soft hand on her knee, a kind, feminine voice whispering to her. Jerking her head up, she peered at the woman in front of her through swollen eyes. Wallowski.

"Foster, you okay?"

Wiping her nose, Gillian tried to smile. "I'm okay, really….I am."

Wallowki smiled. "You don't look okay."

Sharon Wallowski was no facial expert but even she could see the shame and embarrassment that washed over Gillian's face and a part of her regretted her decision to check in on Gillian today. "Foster, do you want me to get you anything?"

Gillian snapped. "Yeah, give me the last 9 days back. Give me my body back. Take these horrible memories and nightmares away." Gillian started to shake, her stomach threatening to expel its' first real meal.

"Foster, you know as well as I do that this is all part of the healing process. Crying is good right?"

Gillian's eyes bulged as she motioned for Wallowski to grab the kidney shaped bowl on the table next to the bed. Wallowski shoved it under Gillian's mouth just as she vomited. Wallowski winced at the painful convulsions that jolted Gillian's body as she expelled her meager meal.

Retching turned into sobbing as Gillian put her hand to her mouth and dropped her head. This was just too much.

Wallowski stood and removed the bowl, placing her hand on Gillian's head. Though the two had never been friends, she felt a wave of empathy wash over her. No woman should have to go through this.

"Foster, what can I do to help you feel better?"

Gillian shuddered. "I need a shower."

Wallowski turned and looked towards the door, motioning for a nurse to come in. "Okay, let's get you that shower."


	22. Chapter 22

**Did any of you watch the Castle season finale? Though I loved the last scene and watched it 20 times, it made me sad for what could have been on our little show. I will forever mourn the loss of a season 4.**

**Anyway, not sure how you all feel about Wallowski...I hated her at first but grew to like her as the series progressed, so I threw her into this chapter for a bit (and the last one). Thanks for reading and reviews are always appreciated!**

CHAPTER 22

Cal poked his head into Gillian's room. He felt so much better; a fresh shave, a few good meals and a great nap lifting his spirits. He had flowers in his hand, intent on bringing some sunshine to Gillian's bland hospital room but stopped in his tracks at the sight before him.

"Shazzer? What are you doing here?" He scanned the room to see Gillian in bed, lying on her side, knees pulled up against her body. Even in sleep she looked exhausted. "What's happened?"

"Nice to see you too, Cal." Wallowski smiled. "I popped in to see how she was doing this afternoon."

"And?" Cal set the flowers down.

Wallowski hesitated. "She was in a bad place, I think…mentally."

Cal felt like he had been kicked in the gut. Why had she sent him away? He hated the thought that he had been at home, enjoying a restful afternoon while Gillian was here, suffering alone. Well, maybe not completely alone.

"How long have you been here, love?"

Wallowski looked at her watch. She was surprised to see that it was well into the evening now. "Five hours or so."

Cal was dumbfounded. "And Gillian was okay with that?

Wallowski laughed. "Oh come one Cal, we get along. Actually, we did some female bonding."

"What kind of bonding?" Cal was suspicious.

"Talking, mostly. She's different now, you know….around me. I think something has changed between us."

Cal pondered that for a moment. When he had been married to Zoe, he had often been annoyed at her frequent "Girls Only" nights out, not quite understanding why his company was sometimes not enough for her. He never felt the need to bond with his male friends. Of course, Gillian must have that same need. Reaching down, he pushed an errant strand of hair off of Gillian's cheek and tucked it behind her ear. Gillian didn't stir. "Something's different," he mumbled.

"Mmmm-hmmm. She is now hardware free. She worked so hard today to get up and around that the nurse took out all of the remaining tubes, except for the IV."

Cal bent down and kissed Gillian's forehead. "Way to go darling," he whispered, catching a whiff of lilac as he lingered near her hair.

Raising himself up he stared at Wallowski in shock. "Did she get a shower?"

Wallowski grinned. "We managed. She was desperate for one and I think it took some of the edge off."

Cal wanted to cry. "Shazzer, thank you so much." He had a hard time continuing.

"Really, Cal, it was not a big deal. We women need each other from time to time. There are some things that men just can't do properly."

Cal shook his head. "No, really Shazzer, I mean it, and it's not just the shower, it's everything. My house, your quick thinkin', your help with the arrest…you have been bloody brilliant."

Wallowski was flattered and also surprised by the flash of disappointment that she felt. She had wanted things to work out with her and Cal, she really had. But it had been clear from almost day one that despite their bickering, Cal only had eyes for Gillian. And why shouldn't he? They had been friends and partners for the better part of a decade. They could finish each others' sentences, read each others' emotions and predict each others' actions. She could never compete, not really.

"Bleach."

Cal blinked. "What?"

"It was bleach. Blunt tried to inject bleach into Gillian's IV. There was an article in the paper years ago about a nurse that killed five patients by injecting bleach into their veins during dialysis. My guess is, Blunt figured it would be a quick way to take Gillian out."

Cal ran his hands through his hair. "Oh wow. Would it have killed her?"

"It's hard to say. Some of the patients injected did survive. I'm just glad we didn't wait to find out."

Cal was instantly brought back to that horrible moment. It seemed like ages ago but in reality, it had only been a few days. One thing was for sure, Wallowksi had probably saved Gillian's life and he would forever be thankful. "I owe you big time Shazzer. I'm lucky to have you on my team."

"So, I'm a little more than a cop you can 'squeeze' on the side?"

Cal walked over and kissed Wallowski's cheek. "How 'bout, brilliant cop, and even better friend?"

* * *

Gillian woke with a start, surprised that it was a cramp in her leg, and not a nightmare that had pulled her from sleep. She reached down and started massaging the aching muscle. Looking around, Gillian wondered if Wallowski was still here. She had meant to thank the detective for her help but had drifted off to sleep soon after her shower. The moonlight streaming in through her window confirmed to her that she had been asleep for a very long time and that Wallowski had probably gone home.

Gillian moved her legs again, rejoicing in the missing catheter that had been forever taped to her inner thigh. She felt almost human; the events of the afternoon, though embarrassing and difficult, had cleansed her to some degree.

Quiet snoring caught her attention and she turned her body to the left side of the room. She smiled at Cal's clean shaven and peaceful face. He had obviously done what she had asked of him.

Grabbing her stomach, she practically giggled when it started to rumble loudly. She was starving!

"Cal," she whispered, sorry to wake him. "Cal, wake up!"

Cal was instantly on his feet, making his way to her side. "What's wrong darling?"

Gillian laughed. "Nothing's wrong Cal, don't look so worried."

Cal passed his hand over his face, trying to shake off his sleepiness. Gillian was smiling at him. He leaned in closer. "You like my new look?"

Gillian reached up and cupped his chin, caressing his cheek with her slender fingers. "I'm not sure. I really liked the beard."

Cal took her hand in his and kissed it. "What can I get you love?"

Her stomach grumbled again and Cal laughed out loud. "Never mind, I already know what you need!"

Giving Gillian a quick kiss on the nose, he marched off to find her something to eat.


	23. Chapter 23

**Uggh, it's been almost a full week! So sorry guys! Real life gets in the way sometimes doesn't it? Anywho, I'm hoping you're still reading and enjoying. I LOVE reading your stories and wish I could write as good as some of you do! Please read and review if you have a moment!**

CHAPTER 23

Gillian Foster sat in the brilliant sunshine that streamed through the enormous hospital lobby windows, reveling in the warmth. She watched the endless stream of people as they passed her, trying to ignore the sympathetic looks she was getting. The swelling in her face had receded, the bruising significantly faded, but still present. Despite the improvement, Gillian felt uncomfortable sitting in such a public place, the object of curiosity for hospital patrons. She willed Cal to bring the car to the main entrance quickly, suddenly wishing that she hadn't insisted on sitting in the lobby to wait for him. After what had seemed to be endless hours of paperwork and release instructions, Gillian was climbing the walls, wanting nothing more than a change in scenery. She had memorized every inch of her drab hospital room. The lobby had sounded like a nice change, but now, she was reconsidering.

Trying to take her mind off of her surely bedraggled appearance, she watched faces. There were so many emotions here at the hospital, most of them unguarded and raw. She saw the nervous and excited couple, making their way to Labor and Delivery. She saw terrified parents, trying to remain upbeat and positive as they checked their child in for routine surgery and she even spotted a serious and somber priest, most likely going upstairs to read some poor soul their last rites. She shivered.

Gillian wondered what someone would see in her face. Most likely, they would see relief at her looming release, pain that persisted despite the medications being shoved into her, and perhaps, for the most trained eye, a woman tortured by horrible memories that she tried to unsuccessfully suppress. Thankfully, there were very few that could penetrate her mask, a mask she was desperately trying to reconstruct. Cal, who had at one time had trouble reading his partner, could suddenly see everything. She would have to work harder.

"Dr. Foster?"

Gillian turned her head to see Sarah, the red-headed nurse that had been Cal's guardian angel during Gillian's comatose days. Gillian could only remember bits and pieces of her interactions with Sarah but she felt a connection with her nonetheless.

"Sarah, good to see you." Gillian extended her hand as Sarah grasped it.

"They said you were leaving today so I took a quick break from the ICU to come down and say goodbye. Where is Dr. Lightman?"

Gillian stared at the sliding glass doors. "He said he was bringing the car around. He's taking a bit longer than I would have expected though."

"Good, I wanted to talk to you before he gets back." Sarah pulled up a chair and sat next to her. "Are you feeling okay?"

Gillian nodded, trying to keep her features free from any unwanted emotions. She wasn't feeling "okay,' not by a long shot, but she was determined to get out of this hospital before the doctors and nurses decided that she needed to stay longer.

Sarah continued. "You know, I spent many hours with Dr. Lightman during those first few days. We got to know each other pretty well."

"I'm so glad he had you, Sarah. You were there for him when no one else was. Thank you…for both of us." Gillian squeezed the kind nurse's hand.

Sarah shook her head. "No need to thank me…that's not why I came down here. He loves you so much, you know."

Gillian felt the tears well up, her throat closing off. "I know," she croaked.

"He never left your side, even when we threatened to kick him out."

Gillian tried to suppress a laugh. She could only imagine how stubborn Cal had been. "I hope he didn't get in your way too much?"

"Oh, he did. He wanted to know every detail; the purpose of every medication, the meaning of every beep or alarm."

Gillian winced. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Sarah continued. "What should have been annoying was actually very endearing to the whole staff on the third floor. I think we grew to love him because we wished that we had someone like him in our own lives. You're a lucky lady.'

The tears were freely flowing now. Gillian remembered very little of the last week, but she did remember one thing. Every time she woke up, Cal was there. She had grown so accustomed to his presence that on the rare occasion the he was not by her side, she didn't know what to do.

For someone as seemingly independent as Gillian, this new dependence on Cal, though tender and sweet, also bothered her. Nothing was easy anymore. Showering, using the bathroom, changing her clothes, eating…she needed help with it all, her body not yet willing to perform even the most basic of tasks.

The most painful reminder of her incapacitation had come when the doctors had taught Cal how to clean her wounds and change the bandages, a requirement for release. She had refused to look at her stomach, instead, focusing on a spot on the ceiling but she had hazarded a glance in Cal's direction as he began the procedure. She wished that she hadn't. Shock, sadness, and then anger passed over his face in quick succession before he successfully put his professional and impassive mask on. She had seen it though, and wondered just how bad her injuries looked.

Gillian caught sight of Cal's car as it pulled up to the door. Smiling, she turned to her red-headed new friend. "Despite everything that has happened, I agree with you. I am one lucky lady." She cleared her throat, seeing Cal saunter in with a wide grin on his face. "That much is for sure."

"Well, be sure to lean on him over the next few days and weeks. Don't get frustrated if you heal slower than you like, and don't be afraid to ask for help." Sarah gave her hand a final squeeze before she arose to give Cal a big hug.


	24. Chapter 24

**thanks for the great reviews guys! I know I've slowed down...and I really did intend on just tying things up in a nice little bow but I'm so enjoying writing the Callian stuff that I am giving you more than I had originally intended. Hope you don't mind. Thanks for reading!**

CHAPTER 24

Cal put the car into park and turned the engine off, quietly turning to look at his slumbering passenger. Gillian looked exhausted, having drifted off to sleep minutes after leaving the hospital parking lot. She was curled up on her side facing Cal, knees tucked under her body. A strand of hair had fallen across her face. God, she was adorable! Cal reached up and tucked the piece of hair behind her ear. Gillian drew her eyebrows together but remained asleep.

Cal was hit with a tsunami of warring emotions. He was terribly happy and relieved to finally see Gillian healthy enough to leave the hospital. That excitement was slightly tempered however, by the cold fingers of fear that were constantly clawing at him. With Gillian at home, there would be no button to push in case of an emergency; no nurse rushing in to help her. What if something went wrong?

When Emily had been sick as a child, he had relied on Zoe to do all of those "motherly" things for her. Sure, he would sit with Emily and tell her stories or jokes, but Zoe carried the bulk of the nursing duties. Since they shared the same gender, it only seemed natural.

But now, despite the fact that they had been best friends for a decade and knew everything about one another, the intimacy that was going to be required to take care of Gillian made him question the wisdom of this new arrangement. She could barely walk, let alone shower or get dressed. Even though Gillian had not balked when he had suggested that they stay together in her house, he wondered if she would let him take care of her in that way.

The truth was, even with his lingering fears, and despite the battles that he knew were coming, he _needed_ to do this for her. He had at one time considered calling Torres and asking her to help out but had then reconsidered. This job was his to do and his alone. He hoped Gillian was going to be okay with that.

"Gil," he whispered, trying to gently pull her from sleep. When she didn't respond, he silently opened the door and walked to the front porch of her townhouse. He unlocked her front door and left it open, noting as he popped his head in that Torres had been by to clean and freshen it up.

Carefully opening the passenger side door, he squatted down, his rear end almost sitting on the curb. He placed his hand on Gillian's exposed foot and gave it a squeeze. "Gil, love, wake up."

Gillian whimpered and pulled her foot away. Smiling, Cal decided to just let her sleep. Reaching into the car, he tucked his right arm under her bent legs, bracing her back with his left. She was far too easy to lift. Cal could feel her ribs, all too prominent, as he held her close to his chest. Again Gillian whimpered as she tucked her head neatly under Cal's chin. "Let's get you inside love."

Kicking the front door closed with the back of his foot, Cal made his way towards the stairs, anxious to get Gillian into a proper bed. Halfway up, he felt her startle. 'Cal?"

"Yeah, love?"

"Are we home?" She tried to squirm out of his arms, still disoriented.

Cal tightened his grip on her tiny body. "Stay still darling, I've almost got you into your bed."

He felt Gillian begin to shake her head. "S'okay Cal, I'm not tired."

Cal started to laugh as he pushed open the door to her master bedroom, using his foot to push back the covers. Placing her gently on the soft bed, he removed her shoes as she curled up into a ball, closing her eyes almost instantly.

"No, you're not tired at all are you Gil?" He bent down and kissed her cheek. As he was pulling away, he felt Gillian reach for his hand, taking hold of it with a surprisingly strong grip.

"Thank you Cal." Her eyes were just barely open as she looked back up at him. "I love you."

Cal went to his knees so his face was just inches from Gillian's. Creeping forward, he placed his lips on hers, surprised and thrilled when she enthusiastically kissed him back. Pulling away, he ran his free hand through her hair, as she smiled at him. "You're so beautiful," he whispered, admiring the freckles that made her look so young and vulnerable, the radiant blue orbs that were her eyes and her perfect, creamy skin. He would never get tired of looking at her and he wondered what it would be like to finally see and touch _all_ of Gillian Foster? Pushing those thoughts aside for another day, Cal released Gillian's hand and stood up, startled and excited to see the slightest hint of arousal in her eyes. Pointing at her, he playfully waved his finger in her face. "That emotion right there...hang on to that darling. We'll come back to that later!" Cal waggled his eyebrows and Gillian gave him a tired laugh and a nod.

"You hungry?" he asked, feeling his own stomach rumble.

Gillian shook her head, already half asleep. "No, but you go get something. I'll be right here…."

God, he loved this woman. Pulling her thick white comforter up and around her, he tucked her in so that only her head was exposed. Kissing her forehead one last time, he headed down the stairs just as the doorbell rang.


	25. Chapter 25

**I thought it was about time we brought Emily home! As always, enjoy!**

CHAPTER 25

A flash of brown eyes and long curly hair was all that Cal saw before he was bowled over by his daughter. She clung to his neck as he grabbed her in a fierce bear hug, lifting her off the ground. "Emily, oh love, Emily…." He could scarcely get his words out, his emotions erupting from him in one giant wave of tears, smiles and laughter.

Emily's giggles turned to sobs as she too was overcome with the reality of finally seeing her father again. The two were so wrapped up in each other that they didn't notice Zoe creeping in behind them, setting some bags on the entry way floor, her eyes doing a once over of Gillian's townhouse.

"Don't I get a hug?" she teased, pleased to have caught Cal off his guard.

Cal planted a kiss firmly on Emily's forehead, released her, and swept Zoe up in an exuberant embrace. "You're a sight for sore eyes love," he muttered happily. Extending his arm to Emily, he caught them in a three person hug, saying a silent prayer of thanks for this much needed reunion.

Zoe was the first to break the circle. "Well, Cal, you look much better than you did when I last saw you."

Cal gave her an amused look. "I might say the same of you Zo."

Taking both of their hands, he led the girls to Gillian's couch and had them sit, plopping himself next to Emily. "I've missed you so much Em," he said, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

Emily curled into her father, laying her head on his chest. "I've missed you too Dad. Thanks for letting me come home."

Cal felt the tiniest flash of guilt but then hastily pushed it aside as he reflected on the dead lawyer, the second attempt on Gillian's life and what could have happened to his only daughter if she had stayed in town. Cal could sense the lingering fear in Emily's voice. "It's safe now Em. No one is going to hurt you."

Emily suddenly popped her head up, her eyes huge. "Gillian! How is she? Is she here?" Her eyes searched the hallway leading to the stairs.

"She's doing fine Em. A little banged up still, and extremely tired, but she's healin'. I'll let you go see her when she wakes up." Cal looked at his watch. "How would you two like to stay for dinner? We could whip something up and you can tell me about all of your adventures."

Zoe looked hesitant but finally agreed as Emily hopped up and started rummaging through Gillian's refrigerator.

Cal shuffled himself closer to his ex wife. "How's she doin' Zo? She looks great." Emily's bruises had all but faded, her sunny disposition allaying Cal's fears of lingering emotional trauma.

Zoe stared off into the kitchen and then began. "She had a rough couple of days Cal. There were lots of tears and nightmares. But, having nothing to do but talk while in the car helped a lot. She told me everything, sometimes twice. After about a week, her nightmares lessened and now, she seems to have beaten them back. You should be proud of her. She's a strong girl."

Cal was intensely proud of his strong willed, resilient daughter, and his equally strong willed ex wife. He was having a hard time believing that they were actually here. "And how's Emily's mum doing?"

Zoe chuckled. "Emily's _mum_ is doing fine. My practice survived without me, though I need to fly out on the red eye tonight. We actually had a nice time on the road." She put her hand out, offering Cal the car keys and the cell phone.

"What, no cash left?" Cal teased.

"No," Zoe said defiantly. "We spent every last dime, and there's a bag of souvenirs over there to prove it." She smiled mischievously and then turned serious. "You did the right thing Cal. I read in the paper about this whole Cordova mess. Hard to believe our Emily was wrapped up in the middle of it."

"Thanks Zoe, again, for being so understanding and for keeping our daughter safe. You really came through." Cal looked closely at his ex wife's face. For the first time in a long time he saw an expression that had been perpetually missing from her. Peace. Her anger at Cal subsided, jealousy for Gillian gone, and relationship with Emily cemented and secure, Zoe's countenance screamed contentment. He leaned forward and gave her a soft kiss on the side of her mouth.

Hearing pots and pans rattling around in the kitchen Cal tilted his head in Emily's direction. "What do you suppose she's doing in there?"

Zoe laughed. "It's a good thing Emily gets her cooking skills from her mother and not her father. Beans on toast is just not going to cut it after a week of fast food." With that, Zoe, hopped up to help her daughter, leaving Cal to bask in the glow of his family.

* * *

Gillian barely heard the soft knock on her door. Fighting the cobwebs that were still fighting with her brain, she opened her eyes and hoarsely called out permission to enter. What she saw caused her to sit bolt upright, crying out in pain at the much too rapid movement.

Emily quickly set the tray of food on the end table and made her way to Gillian. "Gil, you okay?"

Through tears, Gillian managed a genuine smile. "I'm okay Em, just give me a minute." Taking a few deep, shuddering breaths she willed the sharp pain in her abdomen to go away. She was vaguely aware that Emily had taken her hand. Slowly getting control, Gillian stared at the fresh -faced teenager. "Am I dreaming?"

Emily giggled and tentatively threw her arms around Gillian's neck. "Nope, it's really me. I'm so happy to see you Gil!"

Gillian pulled back and put both of her trembling hands on Emily's sweet face. She looked perfect, no sign of injury or trauma. Gillian started to cry. "You're really okay?"

Following suit, Emily burst into tears and placed her hands atop Gillian's. " Thanks to you, I really am."

They held one another for several minutes, sobbing and muttering tender and loving words to each other. At one point, Cal popped in to announce that he was leaving to take Zoe to the airport but when he saw the two of them, he decided to instead give them some much needed privacy. This reunion was one that they both needed.


	26. Chapter 26

**Sorry for the delay! I threw in some Emily angst for your enjoyment! Please R & R!**

CHAPTER 26

When Cal returned home from the airport, the house was silent. Given the late hour, he didn't panic but hastily made his way up the stairs to Gillian's room. Emily was sitting on Gillian's bed, reading a magazine, her left hand casually stroking a sleeping Gillian's hair as she lay on her side next to the teenager. Cal willed his mind to memorize this moment and he felt almost guilty for invading.

Clearing his throat, he grinned at his daughter. Emily looked up at him and motioned for him to be quiet. Cal carefully crept closer to the bed, confirming that Gillian was indeed, sound asleep. He frowned at the mostly uneaten plate of food on the nightstand. Gillian was going to have to work on her appetite.

"Everyone doin' okay Em?"

"We're doing fine dad. Did mom make her flight?"

Cal nodded, placing a folded piece of paper on the table. "She wrote a note to Gillian."

Emily looked at her father suspiciously. "Did you read it?"

Cal feigned offense. "Course not, I'm not the nosy type."

"That's bollocks," Emily winked at her dad and set her magazine down. Looking down at her sleeping friend, she sighed.

"What's wrong love?" Cal could see that Emily was wrestling with something so he sat down at the foot of the bed, near Gillian's feet.

Emily took a moment to answer. "I guess I just assumed that everything would be back to normal. But Gillian….she's so different now."

Cal understood. "She went through a lot Em. I think it's going to take Gil some time to get back to normal."

Emily continued. "We were having a great time, chatting about my college plans and the road trip with mom, and then, she just zoned out. It's like her mind stopped focusing and she drifted somewhere else. It took me a few minutes to get her to snap out of it and when she did, she seemed agitated…almost afraid."

Cal took hold of one of Gillian's feet, absentmindedly rubbing it as he thought. "She did that a few times at the hospital too." Cal remembered the chilling vacant stare that he was greeted with on the night that she had first seen her facial bruises. It had frightened him because it was so unlike the woman that he loved. "Did you two talk about that night at all?"

Emily nodded. "A little bit. I thanked her for saving my life, and asked her how she was feeling. Soon after that, she just shut down. I don't think she was angry at me or anything, she just went somewhere else."

Cal crept up the bed to sit closer to Emily. "I'm learnin' new things about Foster here every day." He placed a hand on Gillian's hip. "I suspect that's how she copes with unwanted emotions….she shuts herself down. It's a form of self preservation, I reckon."

Wrapping her arms around her knees, Emily chewed on her lip. "Will she ever be back to her old self? I mean, Gillian always seems to have it so together, you know?"

"I know love, it's hard for me to see too. But, we'll get her through it okay? If she needs to go see someone professionally, we'll get her there. I'm not about to let Gil slip away from me now." Cal tried to make his voice sound confident and calm. "I guess we've got to remind ourselves that she only woke up from a coma a few days ago. Let's just give her some time, yeah?"

Emily nodded, suddenly feeling very tired. She rubbed her eyes and looked back down at Gillian. It was then that Cal saw something else creep across his daughter's face, an emotion that surprised and worried him. "Where's the guilt coming from Em?"

Emily wiped her eyes. "Look at me dad."

Cal did as instructed, glorying in her healthy, unharmed face. Knowing Emily as he did however, he understood what was probably going on. "You feeling guilty that Gillian looks so banged up while you look pretty much unscathed?"

Emily choked back a sob. "It's not fair dad. We both went through that ordeal together and look at her compared to me. Sure, I had a few nights of bad dreams and a couple of bruises that have already healed, but for the most part, I feel pretty good. Gillian has it so much worse than I did."

Cal grabbed Emily's hand, carefully choosing his next words. "Emily, don't ever feel guilty for what happened. You didn't ask for any of this, neither did Gillian. Now…Gillian made a choice. She chose to let you escape. Did she know that this would be the result?" Cal gestured towards Gillian's bruised face. "No, she didn't. But, it's what happened. It's not your fault and you don't need to feel bad because you didn't get hurt just as bad as she did." Cal shuddered, the thought making him dizzy.

"It's just hard." Emily wasn't sure what else to say. Everything her father was telling her made perfect sense, and yet, the guilt lingered.

"I know Em. I think Gillian would call it survivor's guilt. If she was wearing her "shrink" hat right now, I suspect she'd tell you that it's totally normal, but I understand it's hard. We've got nothing but time though, so between the three of us, we can heal together."

Emily rubbed her tired, aching eyes. "I just want the old Gillian back." Stifling a yawn, she bent down and kissed the side of Gillian's head.

"You ready for bed, love?"

Emily could barely keep her eyes open. "Where do you want me to sleep?"

"Why don't you take the guest room? Are you going to be okay in there on your own?"

Emily snorted. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, you and your mum have been together since this all happened. I just want to make sure you're okay to sleep alone."

Emily gave her father a dismissive wave. "I'll be fine." She hopped off the bed, stretched her arms above her head and yawned. "Do I even need to ask where you are going to sleep?"

Cal gave her a timid smile. "I'll be in here with Gil…in case she needs something."

Emily watched her father's face as he gazed down at Gillian. It thrilled her to see him so happy, despite the events that had led up to this moment. Pure, unfiltered love was plastered all over his face as he tucked the covers more securely around his best friend. She didn't have to be a facial cue expert to see it because it was the same look she saw every time her dad looked at her. Emily felt confidence rush through her. Her dad would pull Gillian back from the brink, of that she was certain. Emily gave Cal an affectionate hug. "I'm so happy for you dad. I really am. You take good care of her okay?"

XXXXXXX

Gillian awoke with a start, stifling a scream. Her nightmares had transformed from dreams of her own immediate danger to that of Emily. In this one, she had witnessed Emily being stabbed and kicked, Gillian a helpless spectator.

With much effort, she sat herself up carefully, trying to remember where she was. When she felt the warmth of another body next to her, she looked down and was surprised to see Cal, his arm partially draped across her waist. Gillian searched her mind, trying to recall the events of the last evening. She had no recollection of Cal crawling in to bed with her, not that she minded.

Hearing another sound to her left, she peered over the edge of her bed to see Emily, bundled in the comforter from her guest room and sleeping on the floor. Gillian brought her hand to her mouth, feeling her throat tightening. Her family. Though not blood related in any way, this was her family, and they had rallied to her side without hesitation. Warmth spread through her, chasing away her present nightmare induced anxiety. She had been living alone for so long now, she had forgotten what it felt like to be surrounded by loved ones.

Gillian turned to her side, facing Cal and laying back down. She brought her fingers to his lips, caressing them before dropping down to his chin, tracing his jaw. He was so handsome, even more so in sleep with his hair slightly tousled and a fine layer of stubble growing on his chin. She started to cry, for the first time since the accident, tears of joy.

"You okay love?"

Gillian was startled to see Cal's concerned eyes, fixed anxiously on her. "I'm fine Cal," she said, wiping her cheeks, temporarily at a loss for words.

"You sure? You okay with this?" By "this," Cal meant their present sleeping arrangement.

Gillian scooted her body closer, burying her head into his shoulder, her tiny hand placed against his rapidly beating heart. "_This_….is wonderful."

Cal responded by tightening his grip on her waist. Being careful of her injured abdomen, he pulled her even closer so that their bodies fit perfectly together.


	27. Chapter 27

**Hey friends. Hope you are enjoying. I really am going to wrap this up in a few more chapters. It has been a terribly fun exercise for me. Your reviews have been wonderful. Please let me know what you think of this latest chap!**

CHAPTER 27

"Gil, where do you keep the cinnamon?" Cal hollered from the kitchen, rummaging through unfamiliar pantry.

"Cupboard to the right of the stove. It's got a purple cap." Gillian was nestled comfortably on her couch, feet tucked under her, her warmest blanket draped across her body. She was having a tough time staying warm, despite the late summer temperatures.

Hearing the clatter of dropped utensils and the wave of expletives coming from the kitchen, she chuckled. "You want me to come in and help Cal?"

Almost instantly, Cal's head popped around the corner. "You…" he pointed at her with her finger, wiggling it slightly. "You, stay put."

Gillian didn't try to resist. Her journey downstairs from her bedroom had done her in. She had insisted on navigating the stairs by herself but had only made it halfway down before Cal had carried her. Now, at his insistence, she was going to eat a real meal. She hadn't eaten a morsel for 36 hours, her last meal partially consumed at the hospital. Even though her stomach told her she should be hungry, the minute food hit her gut, it turned to lead. How much had her stomach shrunk, she wondered?

As Cal continued to work, a refreshed Emily bounced down the stairs. Gillian again rejoiced in her healthy vigor. "Where you off to Em?"

Emily plopped herself enthusiastically next to Gillian on the couch. "Hannah and I are hitting the mall." Emily rummaged through her purse in search of her cell phone. "Dad is making me check in every 2 hours," she grumbled, glaring at the phone.

"You have to cut your dad some slack Em. He's a little jumpy after…everything."

Emily gave Gillian a knowing look. "Thanks for letting me stay here Gil. I'm not sure I'm ready to face home yet."

Gillian nodded. "You know there's a guest room you can use right? You don't have to sleep on the floor."

"I know. I tried to sleep in there, really, I did. But, halfway through the night, I found myself back in your room. I guess I wasn't ready to be alone." Emily fiddled with her purse straps, not looking directly at Gillian.

Taking Emily's hand into her own, Gillian gave it a squeeze. "You have no idea how wonderful it was to have both you and your dad in my room last night. I guess I'm not ready to sleep on my own either."

"Oi, you two…you ready to eat?" Cal emerged from the kitchen carrying a bowl of what smelled like oatmeal, doused liberally with brown sugar and cinnamon. Emily gave Gillian's hand a final pulse before letting go and standing as she heard a car horn blaring outside.

"That'd be Hannah!" Taking note of her dad's displeasure, she kissed Cal's cheek and said, "Don't worry dad, I'll eat a bowl on the road…and I _will_ call you every 2 hours!"

"Be back by dinner," Cal sighed, turning to watch his daughter grab the oatmeal off the counter and disappear out the front door.

"She'll be fine Cal."

Sitting next to Gillian, Cal handed her the steaming bowl. "I know. I suppose I've got to let her go sooner rather than later."

"Is she still going to make it to Berkeley in three weeks?" Gillian stirred the cinnamon and brown sugar into the thick oatmeal. Cal had prepared it just right…the sweeter the better.

"I imagine so. The plan was for me to drive her out there while her mum flew out to meet us. As far as I know, we're still moving ahead." Cal had yet to come to terms with the idea of his daughter leaving.

"That's good," Gillian replied, though she was perplexed by the teenager's seemingly unaffected attitude. Years of counseling trauma victims had taught her that very few people can escape an ordeal like theirs without some lingering issues.

Apparently, Cal agreed. "She has recovered so bloody fast. I keep thinkin' she is going to have a breakdown or something, but so far, she seems like her old self."

"Do you think she's holding it all in…trying to be strong for us?"

"Not sure, love. Emily has always liked to talk things out. She's an open book, really. I suspect that the hours and hours of aimless driving gave her a chance to get it all out. At least, I hope that's the case." Cal was brought back to last night's conversation.

"I think I scared her last night." Gillian stared at him anxiously, surprised to see that Cal already knew about it.

"Em told me."

"Oh." Gillian stared at her oatmeal.

Cal immediately put his arm around her shoulders. "Hey, you did nothin' wrong."

Gillian leaned into him slightly. "It's like I have all this noise going on inside my head, like something is always playing in the background. I try and concentrate on something and before long, that background noise takes control and I lose focus."

"What's playing in the background, darling?"

Gillian frowned. "Memories, mostly. I can't stop reliving that night, and it's worse because the nightmares have melded themselves with my memories and I'm constantly trying to figure out what really happened and what is just a part of my dreams. It's maddening."

Cal rested his chin atop her head. "You want to go see someone about it?"

Gillian considered his offer. Ever the cheerleader of psychological therapy, she fully understood the benefits of seeking professional help. Gillian just never imagined she would need it. She gave an imperceptible nod of her head. "When I'm ready."

"All right then, we'll take you when you give me the word. But for now, how about eating up? I made that oatmeal just the way you like it."


	28. Chapter 28

**I took a bit of a break for the holiday weekend...but here is chapter 28. Hope you enjoy... and as always, reviews are always welcome!**

CHAPTER 28

Stomach full after half a bowl of oatmeal, Gillian laid her head against Cal's shoulder, her mind darting from place to place. The pain in her abdomen, though less than it had been previously, was beginning to grow, reminding her that her dreaded medication was due. She wondered how long she could go without taking it. Inevitably, the painkillers, though entirely successful in staunching her discomfort, sent her spiraling into a deep sleep; the kind of sleep that made her feel vulnerable.

Sighing, she pulled her knees in closer, trying to get warm. Cal's body was like a furnace, surely a bi-product of the man's endless energy. Despite his near constant need to be on the go, she was amazed at how docile he'd been over the last few days. Sitting still, playing nurse, listening to her talk without constantly interrupting…it was all so uncharacteristic of him.

"What are you thinking about Gil?" Cal was tracing lazy circles across her thigh, which was pressed up against his hip. He was incredibly relieved to have gotten some food into her.

"Just you."

"Me?"

Gillian wrapped an arm around his. "I couldn't do this without you."

"You don't have to love. I'll be here as long as you need."

Gillian looked up at him. "Isn't it driving you crazy though? When was the last time you were away from work for this long?"

Cal thought for a moment. Other than a weeklong Mexican vacation with Emily a year ago, he had not been this detached from the Lightman Group since its inception.

"Are you trying to get rid of me Gil?" Cal smirked.

"God no! I just don't want you to feel chained to my house. If you need to go somewhere, I can manage." Could she really? She ducked her head, sure that Cal was laughing at her. Who was she kidding?

"Loker and Torres are doin' a bang-up job at work."

Gillian considered that. Torres and Loker were always the target of Cal's criticism, sarcasm, and in some cases, wrath. She was truly impressed that he had entrusted them with the whole business during his absence. "Wow, that's a huge compliment coming from you," she said.

Cal sighed and closed his eyes, suddenly feeling very tired. Though his two protégés had handled things beautifully during this ordeal, Cal knew that there were only so many more days left that he could reasonably stay away from work before he was going to have to go back in. Cal was surprised at how indifferent he suddenly felt about their company, their clients and the whole science of lie detection in general. He could assign a whole mess of excuses for his apathy but deep down, he knew what it was about. His science, and the work that they had done had almost cost him the lives of Emily and Gillian. Though normally confident and secure in his work, he was questioning his resolve to even go back to it. Would there come another time that his work put his loved ones in jeopardy?

Cal remembered being asked several times by a handful of universities across the country to lecture. He had always turned them down, placing his business ahead of his desires to teach. Now, as an injured Gillian lay against his shoulder, he started to reconsider. College professors generally don't have to fear for their lives or the lives of their loved ones. No, teaching would be safe. But could he make the switch? Hearing his phone ring, he pushed the thought aside, vowing to bring it up with Gillian on another day.

"Well, speak of the devil." Cal rolled his eyes and disengaged himself from Gillian. "Oi, Loker, what's up?" Cal gave her a wink, and left the room.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Cal was thoroughly spooked, his hands slightly trembling as he grasped the edge of Gillian's tank top.

Biting her lip, Gillian nodded. Cal studied her face, searching for any sign of hesitation or embarrassment. There was nothing.

"Cal, I need to do this. Please let me do this."

As he was helping Gillian back up the stairs for her next round of medication, she had insisted that they avoid the bed and go straight for the bathroom. Cal was surprised when she hadn't closed the door behind her, but instead, motioned for him to come in.

"I need to see."

Cal gaped. "See what, love?"

"It's time to change the bandages anyway Cal. I need to see what he did to me. Please."

Cal knew he couldn't deny her this wish but was terrified of her reaction. Would seeing her wounds help her heal or would it bring on more pain? Now, his hand grasping the material of her tank top, he was filled with indecision.

"Gil, are you sure you want me, to… you know, help with this?"

Gillian snickered. "Come on Cal, we're both adults here."

"I know love, it's just…this will be the first time that I will see you…you know, without a top." Cal had seen her belly, plenty of times in the hospital but the nurses had always modestly covered her upper half.

Gillian thought he was being adorable. She had never seen the stoic and confident Cal Lightman so nervous and shy. In an effort to ease his nerves, she reached for the bottom of her tank top and flung it over her head in one quick motion, grimacing at the dull throbbing in her abdomen. "There," she stuttered, taking in a deep breath. "This is me."

Cal felt his heart miss a beat. She was beautiful. Oh God, she was beautiful. Cal couldn't stop staring, his face surely betraying him. Gillian laughed and waved her finger in his face. "Stop staring Cal, you're making me uncomfortable."

"I'm sorry Gil. You're just so bloody gorgeous."

Gillian frowned, her current state of disarray obviously making her doubt his compliment.

"No really, Gil. You're stunning." Cal placed his hands on each side of her arms, drawing her closer to him. "I mean, I'd always imagined…but you've surpassed my expectations."

Gillian was beginning to feel her cheeks flush. She was not used to talking this way with Cal. The thought of him fantasizing about what she looked like under her clothes made her feel dizzy.

"Okay then." Gillian was ready to get on with business. "If you can stop ogling me for a minute, can you help me with these bandages?"

"I'm not ogling, just admirin'." Cal reached down to her belly, placing a hand on the largest of the two bandages. "You ready?"

Gillian only nodded, flinching as the tape was peeled away from her tender skin. In seconds, Cal had removed both bandages, exposing her wounds to the air. Taking her by the shoulders, he looked into her eyes, seeing only determination. Gingerly, he turned Gillian towards the mirror.

There were two scars, one larger than the other, both sewn together with ugly black stitches. Bruises dotted her arms and neck, at the points where lines, tubes and needles had been placed. Her face, though improved, still bore the bruising that she had seen earlier. Gillian stopped breathing. Oh God, what had he done to her? She remotely felt Cal's hands on her arms, stroking up and down as he rested his chin on her shoulder, his warm breath blowing on her cheek.

"You okay love?"

Gillian felt herself detaching. She wanted to go somewhere else, think about something else, but she willed herself to face this. With trembling fingers, she touched the largest of the two wounds, the one that was on her right side. "He cut me twice."

Cal kissed her ear. "He did love. That one hit part of your liver." How much should he share with her? Watching her stare impassively at the mirror, he decided to continue. "They had to remove a part of it but there should be no permanent damage."

"It feels numb."

"There may have been some nerve damage. It will probably come back, Gil."

Moving her fingers to the second wound located on her left side, below her rib cage she shivered. "My spleen?"

"Yeah, it's gone." Cal gripped her tighter as he felt her startle. He had told her about her injuries in the hospital but she obviously didn't remember.

"Oh god." Gillian's body started to shake as she fought the urge to cry.

"Let it out Gil, it's okay." Gillian didn't want to break down in front of Cal. She was tempted to ask him to leave. Feeling the tears start to fall, she turned her body to face him, burying her head in his shoulder. Tiny shudders turned in to heavy sobs, her tears soaking his shirt.

Cal held her impossibly close, warm hands running long her naked back. "Let the poison out Gil, I've got you." Cal soothed and cuddled and waited. It took a good fifteen minutes for Gillian's sobs to turn into soft whimpers. He felt her body begin to slump against him, her strength obviously zapped.

She didn't protest as he picked her up and carried her toward the bed. Laying her on her back, he reached for the fresh bandages and antibiotic cream. Redressing the wounds, Cal watched her closely. Her red, swollen eyes stared unfocused at the ceiling. Bending down, he kissed her. Gillian closed her eyes and let out another soft gasp. "Thank you Cal."

"No worries love." Cal covered her naked chest with the blanket, handed her some pills and helped her swallow them with a glass of water. He then stretched out next to her, his arm protectively around Gillian's waist. "Go to sleep darling. I'll be right here."


	29. Chapter 29

**Phew, sorry guys for the delay. School for my kids is about out for the year and things are kind of nuts around here. But don't worry...for better or worse, I am determined to finish this fanfic! Hope you enjoy this latest chapter!**

CHAPTER 29

Gillian stood under the hot water as it cascaded down her face. She turned the knob to increase the temperature; the hotter, the better. Gillian scrubbed her hair, digging her fingernails into her sensitive scalp and willing the shampoo to wash the dirty feeling away. She wanted to feel clean but suspected that no amount of soap would do the trick.

She felt like damaged goods. The injuries on her torso would forever remind her of the horribly violent act she had endured. The sad part was that she was going to have to see those scars every day for the rest of her life. The reminders would always be there.

Gillian gingerly sat down on the shower bench, suddenly feeling dizzy. Cal had hesitantly offered to help her shower but she had refused, stating her need for independence. She was aware, however, that he was pacing outside the door, ready to spring into action should she need him. Sighing, she reached for the razor and began to shave her legs, determined to stay in the shower until the water turned cold.

* * *

Cal was fighting the urge to press his ear up against the door or to just go ahead and barge on in. Though he could hear the water running, he hadn't heard much movement from inside Gillian's en suite bathroom. Understanding her need for some privacy, especially after ten days of anything but, Cal had left her alone.

"You okay in there, love?" Cal finally called out.

"I'm fine Cal."

"You holler if you need anythin'?"

Cal heard Gillian laugh. Was he being ridiculous? Overprotective? Probably, the answer was yes. Gillian was a fiercely independent soul and in the eleven years they had been partners, Cal had been comfortable letting her fight her own battles. For the most part, that is. But now, everything had changed. Gillian was vulnerable; more so than he'd ever seen her. She seemed to not mind his "smothering," as he would call it.

Ca knew that he needed to go back to work, probably as early as tomorrow. So, seeing Gillian trying to do things for herself gave him some confidence. But, he still worried. Gillian was supposed to be the calm one and this roller coaster of emotions that she was currently riding was foreign to him. He needed his focused and steady Gillian back.

Hearing the water turn off, he quietly knocked. "Do you need any help, Gil?"

"Nope, I'm okay."

A few minutes later, Gillian emerged from the steamy bathroom, her small body wrapped in a big, fluffy white robe. Her hair had been pulled back into a ponytail and slippers adorned her feet. She smiled at him, though her smile didn't completely reach her eyes.

"That was harder than I thought, " she whispered as she stepped into his outstretched arms. Cal held her tight, and together, they began to sway slightly, back and forth.

"I'm proud of you love."

"Baby steps." She blew out a puff of air against his neck and nuzzled her face into his shoulder. Cal shivered, having a hard time controlling himself with the knowledge that Gillian Foster was wearing nothing underneath that bathrobe. He began to feel all the blood in his body run south. Pushing her away from him, he took a hold of her chin and looked at her. She seemed relaxed enough but she was holding something back, something that was eating at her.

"You going to tell me what's botherin' you love?"

"Nothing's bothering me Cal. I'm fine."

"You forget who you're talking to darling."

Gillian dropped her eyes. "They're never going to go away, you know?"

"The scars?"

"Mmmm-hmmm." Gillian shuddered. "Every time I take my shirt off, I'm going to see them, and I'm going to remember. '

"They look bad now, but they'll fade."

"I know that Cal. But, they're always going to be there and I'm always going to be self conscious of them and they're never going to let me forget." Gillian felt herself getting emotional. What was wrong with her? A few scars shouldn't make her feel self conscious or less desirable. They were just scars, after all. Everyone had them.

Gillian looked tentatively up at Cal, her face filled with shame. "Are _you_ going to be okay with them?"

Cal let his mouth drop open. Was she saying what he thought she was saying? Pulling her back into his arms he kissed her cheek. "When the time comes, and you feel like you are ready to you know…take the next step together, then, yes, I'm more than okay with them."

"Really?"

"Where's all of this self doubt coming from Gil? Do you know how long I have fantasized about being intimate with you? You are bar none the most gorgeous woman on the planet and a few scars are never going to change that in my eyes. Matter of fact, they make me feel closer to you, if that makes sense."

Gillian gave him a confused look and punched his shoulder. "Be serious."

"No, no, I am being serious. They remind me of your courage and strength. I mean, you saved my daughter's life and pulled yourself from the brink of death. They're a badge of honor in my opinion." Cal watched Gillian grimace.

He pressed on. "Plus, I finally came round to understanding how much I loved you, all because of those scars. Now, I'm not saying that me telling you that I loved you only happened because of what you went through…it would have happened eventually. But this whole ordeal finally gave me the courage to say what I'd been feeling for a long time."

Gillian absent mindedly reached down and touched the wound on her right side.

Watching her, Cal continued. "I thought I was going to lose you Gil. No one was sure if you were going to survive this. I sat there and I watched as you struggled to stay alive and it killed me." Cal stopped talking, trying to push away the tightness that had suddenly taken hold of his throat.

Gillian could see that Cal needed to get this off of his chest. She had never really asked him about what he had gone through while she was unconscious. She was beginning to see that it had been hell for him. She squeezed his arm, silently encouraging him to continue.

"Your heart stopped twice during the first surgery and once more a few days later. They rushed you up to surgery again. It was horrible. I've never felt so helpless."

It was Gillian's turn to be stunned. She had never heard any of this. "I'm so sorry Cal."

"Don't be darling. The whole ordeal gave me a sort of clarity. I realized that I couldn't physically live without you. I told myself as I waited to see if you would survive that I could go on living if you didn't make it. I could keep the bloody business afloat, I would still have Emily and my science but I realized that I was kidding myself. Even with all of those things, it wouldn't really have been living for me anymore. I need you in my life love, as much as I need food or oxygen."

Gillian was speechless. She had never heard Cal talk like this.

"So you see love, a few scars are never going to make me not love you. They make me love you even more, not less."

Gillian was openly weeping now, but smiling. "Thanks Cal. I think I needed to hear that."

Tilting her chin up, Cal kissed her softly. Gillian snuggly wrapped her arms around Cal's waist and kissed him back. Seconds passed and their kisses turned more passionate, almost desperate. Cal's lips left hers and descended onto her soft neck. Gillian hummed as she threw her head back, giving him greater access. Meanwhile, Cal's hands roamed over her back, aching to find their way underneath the bathrobe. The scent of Gillian was like an intoxicant to him.

Gillian's own pulse was racing at a suicidal pace. She knew that she needed to stop him; that her emaciated body wasn't quite ready for this yet but she was finding it difficult. The aggressive way that he had laid claim to her body was thrilling and new and it made her feel good.

Cal suddenly stiffened, realizing what he was doing. He stopped kissing her neck and gave her swollen lips one final peck before leaning his forehead against hers. Both were breathing hard. "I'm sorry love," he said between gasps. "I got carried away."

Gillian giggled and ran her hands through his hair. "I'd say we both did."

"Not quite ready to go there yet?"

Nodding, Gillian kissed his nose, his cheek, his lips. "Give me a little bit more time Cal, and then, I'm all yours."

**Just so you know, I will soon reveal the contents of Zoe's letter...haven't forgotten that. And, eventually, Emily and Gillian will return to Cal's house. Something to look forward to?**


	30. Chapter 30

**You guys are amazing with your comments! I was much quicker this time with this new chapter. Hope you enjoy!**!

CHAPTER 30

Cal was instantly hit with the potent and overpowering aroma of flowers as he made his way into the front door of the Lightman Group. He started to laugh as he spotted Heidi, swerving down the hall as she tryed to balance three flower bouquets in her arms. Everywhere he looked, potted plants, balloons, flower arrangements and even boxes of chocolate dotted the interior of the office corridor. Cal could only guess where they had all come from.

"Oi!" he hollered, as Eli Loker entered the hallway from the lab. "What's all this lot?" Cal motioned towards the floral menagerie.

"They started coming in a few days ago…as soon as the story hit the paper. We've been trying to stay on top of them all but they just keep arriving." Loker looked frazzled, more so than usual.

Cal peered at one of the cards. "_To Gillian, from the Stuart family….hope you get better soon_," it read. Cal picked up another. "_Gillian, thinking of you and praying for a speedy recovery_."

Cal started to grin. "Have you read all of these Loker?"

"Most of them. They're almost all from former or current clients."

Cal was in awe. On his best day he could never expect to garnish this much good will from his clients. Fifty percent of them hated him. But not Gillian. No, he would expect nothing less for Gillian. Her clients, both past and present, adored her, and with good reason. Pulling out his phone, he snapped a few pictures, anxious to show them to her when he got home.

Cal started walking towards Gillian's office with Loker in pursuit. "We started putting them in her office but it got full really fast. Now, they're taking over the break room and the hallway."

Cal laughed out loud as he entered Gillian's office. "It's like a bloody floral shop in here!"

"Tell me about it! Heidi spends most of her morning just making sure everything gets watered."

Cal started moving arrangements from the desk surface to the floor. Sitting down at Gillian's desk he smiled at Loker. "I wanted to thank you for the brilliant work you've been doing in my absence." Cal didn't miss the look of shock that passed over Loker's face. Cal didn't pay him compliments very often.

"You and Torres have saved my bacon."

Loker cleared his throat. "Thanks. Are you back for good?"

"For now. Give me a few minutes to get re acquainted with things and then you and Torres can fill me in on everything." Cal gave Loker a wave of the hand, indicating that it was time for him to leave. Loker took the hint and backed out of the room.

Cal ran his hands over the glass surface that was Gillian's desk. He closed his eyes and remembered being here just a few days ago. Was it really just a few days? Gillian had been rushed back into surgery. He had been so filled with sorrow and worry then. Cal marveled at how changed he felt. It wasn't the just relief over her recovery, because he definitely felt that. But Cal felt fundamentally changed, like he and Gillian had walked through a refiner's fire and had come out on the other side stronger and better. He had been forced to put his priorities in order.

Cal still thought about giving it all up; his science, their business, his clients. Things that had at one time seemed vital to his survival now seemed meaningless. Gillian and Emily were what mattered. The thought of diving back into a full caseload of clients made him cringe. All he could think about was Gillian, and his need to be with her. Gillian was his addiction, and that addiction was growing with every intimate encounter they shared. Now that they'd started down this path, he couldn't seem to get enough.

Cal wondered how she was doing, resisting the urge to call. He had only been away for an hour after all. Gillian had insisted that he return to work today. "_It's my business too, Cal!"_ she had argued. Knowing that he couldn't realistically stay away any longer, as much as he would have liked to, he had kissed her goodbye and made his way to the office, leaving Emily at Gillian's house to help.

"_Focus Lightman!"_ he growled at himself as he once again scanned the room. What was he going to do with all of these flowers?

* * *

Gillian slowly pulled on a pair of her favorite jeans. She was tired of wearing nothing but sweat pants or pajamas. Cinching up the waist, she frowned. They seemed huge on her, much too baggy and loose. Pulling on a short sleeved shirt, she made her way into the bathroom to inspect her face. The bruising had drastically decreased, the swelling all but gone. She let out a relieved breath. A little bit of make-up would do wonders.

She could smell breakfast cooking. Emily was busy at work downstairs, desperately trying to put some meat on Gillian's bones. Gillian was glad the teenager was there. Sending Cal away was hard, but necessary. Right now, the triumph of getting dressed on her own and navigating her bedroom unassisted was helping her confidence grow. She could do this.

As Gillian reached underneath the lamp shade to turn off the light on the nightstand, her eyes spotted a small envelope, her name scrawled across the front in perfect, precise handwriting. She recognized the handwriting as that of Zoe Landau.

Confused, she inspected the unopened letter. Had Zoe left it for her before she left? Had Cal forgotten to tell her about it?

With hesitant fingers, she peeled back the flap and removed the letter.

_Dear Gillian,_

_For the last week, as Emily and I have been driving all over creation, I planned in my head how I would thank you for what you did for my daughter but the words just never seemed adequate. So, as I leave this evening for Chicago, I decided to do my best._

_Things for the Lightman family would be very different right now had you not been with Emily that night. Right after this happened, I sat by your bed and my mind went through every scenario that might have occurred had you not intervened. None of them ended well for my Emily, or for our family._

_As you know, my daughter means the world to me, as she does to Cal. She is the only link we have to each other, and to the happy time that we long ago shared. To have lost that vital part of our family would have been devastating. Your courageous actions restored our daughter to us._

_I can never thank you enough for that. Not only did you save Emily's life, but you took the punishment meant for her. How does one express enough gratitude for something like that? I could grow old trying to pay you back and never come close. So, for now, I would like to express to you my humblest and most sincere thanks. _

_Emily loves you. As we spent hours together in the car, I saw her agonize over your condition. She hated not being there with you. For the first time, I saw just how important you are to her. She views you as a second mother of sorts and though at one time, the thought would have made my blood boil, now, it only seems right. I am glad that she has someone like you in her life. _

_And now, for Cal. I still love him you know. He and I share a past and a daughter together and despite our frequent arguments, I still love him and worry about him. But, I saw something in him that changed both of us on that horrible night. He was destroyed by what happened to you, crushed and on the brink of losing control. I have learned his facial expressions pretty well over the years and what I saw in his face that night was utter devastation. Sure, he was sorrowful for Emily and what she was suffering, but most of it was for you. It was then that I realized how vital you are to him. Cal Lightman would literally cease to be Cal Lightman if you were gone._

_I can't say that I have always been thrilled with your friendly relationship with Cal. At times, I have been jealous and condescending and manipulative. For that I am truly sorry. You have been good for him. You ground him and keep him focused, much more so than I ever could. You bring out the best in Cal. You make him better._

_As I said before, I still love the man. Because of that, I want you to be together. I want him to be happy. I wish for you to be happy. Though you don't need it by any means, I give you both my blessing. I hope that you can have a long and blissful life together. _

_Please take care of my Emily. When she comes home from school, I leave her in your care. I can't think of anyone else I would trust more._

_Sincerely, Zoe_

Gillian stared at the letter, dumbfounded. This was a very different Zoe Landau. She covered her mouth with her hand, feeling the tears freely flowing. Holding the letter close to her chest, she took a halting breath and blew it out, trying to process everything.

At some point, Zoe had sat at her bedside. She couldn't believe it. And Cal. How she would have loved to comfort him during those 5 horrible comatose days. A surge of love filled her chest as she pictured him at her bedside after she awoke. His face had screamed relief, the worry lines still present. It must have been horrible for him.

Quickly picking up her cell phone, she dialed Cal's number. He answered on the second ring, somewhat out of breath.

"You okay darling?"

Laughing, Gillian replied, "I'm fine Cal. I'm just calling to remind you how much I love you."

Cal was silent for a moment. "I love you too Gil, more than you'll ever know."

As the line went dead, her phone pinged and she stared at the image on the screen. Her office was filled to the brim with flowers. Gillian Foster began to cry all over again.


	31. Chapter 31

**Ughhh, this chapter has been driving me crazy. I wanted to throw in a scene that I left out from the beginning of the story...but that I thought was important. Hope this works.**

CHAPTER 31

_Emily was groggy. She opened her eyes, fighting off the nausea that had besieged her stomach only to realize that she had been moved. The hustle and bustle of the Emergency Room had been replaced with the relative quiet of a private unit. She must have been pretty out of it. Reaching up to rub her aching forehead, she spun quickly to the side of the room when she heard retching noises coming from the closed bathroom. Dad?_

_Gingerly, she scooted off of the bed, gasping as her bare feet hit the cold tile floor. Walking was challenging; it seemed every muscle in her body was on fire. Turning the handle, she silently pushed the tiny bathroom door open. _

"_Oh my God, Dad?" _

_Her dad was sitting against the wall, hands gripping his head as it rested on his bent knees. The contents of whatever he had recently eaten had been expelled into the toilet. "Dad? Are you okay?"_

_Cal's head popped up in surprise. "Em? Oh god, I'm so sorry if I woke you."_

_Emily was aghast. Cal was a mess. His eyes were so swollen from crying that he could barely open them all the way. His skin was mottled with red, hair askew, nose rubbed raw. Her father had been crying…a lot._

_Emily was at a loss for words. She had never, in her life, seen her father in this state of suffering. What could she say? What could she possibly tell him to make the pain of Gillian's death go away?_

_She squatted down on the floor in front of her father and placed her hands on his knees. "Dad, I'm so sorry about Gillian." Emily felt her own tears re-start. "I know how much you loved her."_

_Emily was surprised when her dad feebly smiled at her. That was not the reaction she had been expecting. "Emily," he began, "Gillian is still alive."_

_Emily rocked back on her heals. "What? How?" She shook her head. "There's no way Dad. I saw…he killed her." Emily began to mumble. "She was __bleeding…everywhere…how…how is that possible?" Emily saw more pain flash across her father's face.._

"_Don't know love. All I have been told is that she is in surgery." Her dad scowled and avoided her gaze. He was hiding something from her._

"_What aren't you telling me?" she demanded._

_Fresh tears started to pour from his eyes, his tortured sobbing resuming. "They told me her heart has already stopped twice Em. Even though she is still alive, it's not looking good." Cal's whole body began to shake as he let out a painful wail. Emily was thoroughly spooked. This was not the Cal Lightman that she knew._

* * *

Eggs and toast in hand, Emily carried the tray from the kitchen towards the hallway, noting the late hour. This was becoming more of a brunch than a breakfast. She didn't mind though. Gillian had slept soundly and late. Her dad had given Emily strict instructions to get a solid meal into Gillian once she woke…and to make sure she finished it.

Emily set the tray on a hallway end table and raced towards the stairway. Gillian was sitting at the bottom of the stairs, her head in her hands, leaning against the railing.

"Gillian, you okay?" Emily tried to keep the alarm out of her voice.

Lifting her head, Gillian smiled. "No worries Em, I was just being over ambitious."

"You know I would have brought breakfast up to you?"

Gillian spied the tray of food. "I wanted to see if I could make it down here on my own. I'm so tired of eating in bed."

"Well congratulations, it looks like you did it."

Gillian laughed. "Yeah, except now I'm exhausted."

"Gil, you haven't even been home from the hospital for 2 whole days yet. Give yourself a break." Emily noted the sheen of sweat glistening across her forehead. "You know what gives you energy Gil? Food. You're poor body is running on nothing."

Gillian nodded in agreement, but inside, she felt triumphant. Step by step, she was determined to get her life back.

"So, what did you make for me Em?"

"Eggs and toast…and dad says you have to finish all of it!"

Gillian grabbed hold of the railing and dragged herself to her feet, swaying slightly. Emily held her left arm and helped her stay steady. Together, they made their way into Gillian's sunny kitchen.

* * *

Gillian ate the last bite of her eggs, feeling the strength from the extra calories rush though her. She looked at Emily affectionately. "Em, these are really good."

"The secret is the cheese." Emily took a forkful of her own eggs.

"Did your dad teach you to make eggs like this?"

Emily grinned and chugged the last of her juice. "Are you kidding? Dad lives off of beans on toast. That might be okay if he actually made the beans from scratch but he eats the ones out of the can." Emily screwed up her face in disgust.

"So you learned from your mom then?"

"Yeah, she's a pretty good cook. She's not terribly adventurous though. She made the same ten or so meals over and over again. We went out to eat more than we ate in."

Gillian pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Emily. "Em, your mom left me a letter before she left. Did you know that?"

"Did you read it? Dad brought it up the first night you were home." Emily opened the letter and grinned.

"It was really nice. She sounds like a changed woman."

Emily had to agree. "This whole thing really affected her. She cried a lot…mostly when she thought I was asleep, but I knew she was struggling."

"Worry for you?" Gillian got to work on her toast.

"Yeah, mostly. But she was worried about Dad too. I think she realized how close she came to losing everything."

Gillian stared at her plate. "She still loves your dad, you know?"

Emily set the letter down and took Gillian's hand. "I think she'll always love him, just like on some level, he'll always love her. But, she told me that you are, and always have been a better match for my dad."

"She said that?"

"Yeah. She always compares their relationship to two rattlesnakes in a cage. Their personalities are just too similar."

Gillian thought back to the near constant fighting that consumed Cal's life before and after the divorce. He told her once that the thing he missed the most about life with Zoe was the arguments. Even years later, as they had both moved on in their respective lives, Zoe and Cal were forever needling each other. Two rattlesnakes was a pretty good analogy.

Emily continued. "She wants you and dad to be together."

Gillian smiled. "She said as much in her letter. It means a lot Em, it really does." Gillian pushed her plate away victoriously. "See, I did it!" she proclaimed. All but one half of a piece of toast had been consumed.

"Dad will be so proud." Emily elbowed Gillian in the side but then got serious. "Gillian, can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure sweetie, but let's go sit outside? The dishes can wait. I haven't had an ounce of fresh air for such a long time."

Grabbing the blanket off of the couch, Emily walked behind Gillian as they made their way to the swing on the back porch. Fall was coming on and the mornings were feeling brisk. With the blanket spread across both of their laps, Emily began, deciding not to beat around the bush. "You can't ever leave him."

Gillian was confused. "Em, what are you talking about?"

Emily plunged ahead. "I thought you were dead Gil. I saw him stab you…both times…and I saw the blood, and I thought…I thought you were dead." Emily had to stop.

Gillian grabbed her hand. "I'm so sorry you had to see that Emily."

Squeezing Gillian's hand back, she decided to tell Gillian the whole story. "I can't get this image out of my head Gil…a conversation that I had with dad that night." Emily struggled to continue. "I told him you had died. I told him that that maniac had killed you."

Gillian gawked at the teen.

"I had no reason to believe that you had survived it. No one had told me anything different so I just assumed. Those were the first words out of my mouth when I saw dad at the hospital."

Gillian leaned back against the swing. She was only now beginning to realize the horrors that Cal had endured. She wondered how she would have reacted to such news. What if the tables had been turned and she had been told that Cal was dead. How would she have behaved? She shivered at the thought. She would have been devastated, utterly unable to cope. Of that much, she was sure.

Giving Gillian a moment to process, Emily continued, no longer trying to hold back the tears. "The look on his face when I gave him that news….it was awful. I have never in my life seen him so crushed and broken."

Gillian twisted her hands in her lap. "But I didn't die, Em. Everything turned out okay…for the most part."

Emily shook her head. "No, that's not the point. I have never seen my dad cry like he did that night. Even when he was told that you were still alive and fighting, he was a mess. I found him huddled in the corner of the hospital bathroom, sobbing uncontrollably. Every time I close my eyes, that's the image I see and when I dream at night, that's the moment I go back to."

Gillian was horrified and at the same time, touched. Cal really did love her, desperately, it would seem. Gillian did understand what Emily was going through though.

She patted the girl's knee. "When I was young, I worshipped my father. He could do no wrong. He was strong, protective, even heroic in my eyes. He rarely let his emotions show which back then, was considered a noble quality in a man. But things changed when he started drinking. Suddenly, he came apart. He wasn't there for me anymore. He had outbursts of either obnoxious levity or debilitating depression. It was hard for a girl who worshipped her father to watch."

"My dad got drunk a lot when he was going through the divorce. As hard as that time was, seeing him drunk and angry was easier than what I saw a few nights ago."

"You see your dad in a different light now?"

Emily nodded, unsure how to put her feelings into words. "He's not indestructible. He's vulnerable."

"It frightens you to think of your dad as anything less than the strong, brave, confident Cal Lightman?"

"Definitely."

"So what scares you the most?" Gillian had not meant to slip into therapist mode.

"Dad being alone."

"Because you're leaving soon?"

Emily wiped her eyes with the edge of the blanket. "Yeah, that's part of it. But I don't ever want to see him that wrecked again. Gil, I can't imagine what he would have done if you had died."

Gillian stretched her arm across Emily's thin shoulders, pulling her in close. "I have to imagine some of those tears were not just for me but for you too. No parent likes to see their child suffer like you did."

When Emily didn't say anything, Gillian continued. "Can I tell you something? I have loved your dad for over a decade. Now that's not to say it's been easy. During the first year of our partnership I was constantly having to resist the urge to either kill him or walk out the door. I honestly didn't see how Zoe could handle being married to him."

Emily started to giggle. "Well, obviously, she couldn't."

"It took me a while to figure him out and not get offended every time he opened his British mouth." Gillian was now smiling. "But once I did, he and I connected. He understood me, and I understood him."

"I've always said that he's happier with you than with anyone else."

Gillian kissed the top of her head. "And I am with him, Em. We've been through some rough times. Cal and I have seen each other at very our worst and despite it all, we're still committed." Didn't she and Emily have this exact conversation at dinner that fateful night? "Only now, we've added this new, exciting dimension to our relationship; one that I can't wait to explore."

Emily peered up at her friend. "So what you're saying is that you're in it for the long haul...no matter what he does to piss you off?"

Gillian laughed. "I'm in it for the long haul Em,"

Emily sighed and rested her head against Gillian's shoulder. The two sat there for what seemed like hours, sometimes talking, sometimes silent. For Gillian, one thing was for sure. No matter how far away Emily moved, the pair would always have an unbreakable bond. As awful as it sounded, and as much as she would have preferred not to bond with Emily in this way, she had two stab wounds and one terrifying night to thank for it.


	32. Chapter 32

**Oh my gosh...I'm so sorry! School is out for my kids and suddenly, there's no time to do anything! But, being true to my pledge to actually finish this story, here is the latest chapter. Hope you haven't lost interest! (and by the way, I am loving some of the new stories being submitted! Keep up the good work guys!**)

CHAPTER 32

Gillian patted the space next to her in bed and shot up, realizing it was empty. Where was Cal? Frowning, she swung her legs over the side and pushed her body up. Had he come home last night?

Gillian had endured the entire day, awake, eating and pain medication free. Having Emily there to distract her had been so helpful. By 5:00 however, she was exhausted and hurting. Downing a quick sandwich, she had popped a pain pill and before she knew it, was dead to the world. It was now 2 in the morning and she was surprised to find Cal missing.

Gillian silently berated herself for worrying. Perhaps Cal had decided to sleep at home? She certainly couldn't expect him to sleep at her place very night and he had every right to go where he pleased. A man does need his privacy after all. But she had grown so accustomed to his near constant presence that the loss of it made her sad.

As she approached the kitchen, she let out a relieved sigh. There, amidst papers, calculators, folders and his laptop, was Cal, head down on the table, sound asleep. Smiling, she looked at what he had been working on. Payroll. That was her job and it was probably overdue. Chuckling to herself she wondered how he was making out. Cal hated payroll. In all of the years they had been working together, he had done it maybe twice. Federal withholdings, insurance payments, overtime hours…it all drove him to madness. Gillian was touched that he had tried to handle it by himself but as she cleaned up the desk and stacked the files, she promised herself that she would attempt to tackle it all in the morning. There was only so much she could ask of Cal.

Scanning the dark kitchen, Gillian couldn't help but notice the pile of gifts and flowers stacked on the countertop. She padded over to them, read a few cards and then, spotted the box of expensive chocolates near the sink. How long had it been since she'd had chocolate? Opening the box, she pulled one out and popped it into her mouth. She closed her eyes and moaned as the creamy confection hit her tastebuds. It was dark chocolate with raspberry cream. Oh God, how she had missed this!

Bringing the box with her, she sat down at the table next to Cal, put her chin on her folded arms and studied him. He looked so tired, even in sleep. She hadn't noticed the dark circles and deep lines before, having been so consumed with her own haggard appearance. He had been through so much and it had obviously taken a physical toll on him. Reaching up, she ran her fingers through his hair, resisting the overwhelming urge to kiss him awake.

Cal stirred and opened his eyes. Gillian was sitting next to him, looking positively radiant, her face glowing in the moonlight. Cal smiled, lifted his head and checked his watch. "Bloody hell!"

Gillian laughed out loud. "Payroll will do that to a person Cal. Puts you right to sleep."

"Spot on, love. How do you manage this stuff?"

Snuggling up closer to him, she leaned her body against his. "It's an acquired taste," she replied, pushing the folders away. "I'll do this tomorrow Cal. How about coming up to bed?"

Cal reached for her hand, interlocking their fingers. "You sure you can manage?"

"What, doing payroll or making it back upstairs?"

"Both."

"You'd be surprised how much a girl can accomplish after being positively pampered all day long."

Cal gave her a sleepy grin and rubbed his eyes with his free hand. "Em took good care of you then?"

Gillian leaned further into him, her face centimeters from his. "She did a wonderful job."

And with that, she kissed him.

Cal was suddenly very awake and alert, letting Gillian set the pace but wanting so much more. He groaned as her kisses became more fervent, their tongues dueling and exploring. Suddenly, Cal pulled back, amused at Gillian's confused expression.

"Naughty girl. You've been into the chocolates." Gillian's eyes sparkled, and Cal went back in for another taste. She tasted of chocolate, raspberry, and something distinctly Gillian.

This time it was Gillian's turn to pull away. She was amazed at her renewed strength but she inwardly cautioned herself not to move too fast. Grabbing the box of chocolates she stood, chuckling at Cal's crestfallen look. "Upstairs?"

Cal nodded, understanding from her expression the she really did just want to go to sleep and nothing more. He wasn't disappointed. They would get there eventually and he was determined to wait until Gillian gave him the signal that she was ready. "To bed it is then."

* * *

Gillian rested her head on Cal's chest, listening to his heart steadily beating against her ear. She shivered as his fingers caressed the back of her neck, her ear, and then her chin. This was all suddenly so comfortable, so right, like they'd been falling asleep this way all along. Cal gave a contented sigh, perhaps feeling the same as she.

Gillian began to feel the tell-tale signs that her medication was wearing of. The slow throbbing in her abdomen was bothering her, but not yet at a level that would prompt her to get up and take something. Besides, she needed to talk to Cal about something and though the hour was ungodly, she wanted to do it now.

"Cal, don't fall asleep on me yet okay?"

Cal kissed the top of her head. "Something on your mind love?"

Gillian decided to just come right out with it. "It's time for you to go home."

Bending down to look at her, Cal was momentarily at a loss for words. "You tired of me already?"

Gillian laughed, diffusing some of the tension that suddenly hung in the air. "No, no, that's not it. I just want you and Emily to be able to be back in your own home again. You need to go back there Cal, and so does Emily."

"And what about you?"

Gillian considered for a moment. Was she ready? The memories, as confused and terrifying as they were, still haunted her. She wasn't sure she was ready to face it all just yet but the conversation she had had with Emily that morning came back to her. After all that Cal had been through, the terrors he had endured and the selfless time he had given her, she needed to make the attempt. The truth was, their relationship could never really go forward until she got this out of the way. That was Cal's home; the place that he had raised his daughter. He deserved to see both Gillian and Emily back inside its walls, comfortable and unafraid. Yes, she could do this. For Cal, she would do it.


	33. Chapter 33

**Slowly but surely!**

CHAPTER 33

Gillian was lost in her own world. She vaguely felt Cal's solid arm around her waist, his eyes tentatively watching her. But her mind was so fixed on her environment that she barely registered anything else. As she stared at the spot on the floor where her broken and bleeding body had once lain, she shivered, her mind instantly remembering the rough, cold floor tiles and the sticky warmth of her own blood, pooling around her. She closed her eyes, her mouth suddenly dry.

"Gil?"

Was someone talking to her? She continued to stare at the kitchen, wiped clean of any signs of intrusion. Had this all really happened? How could something so violent and destructive be cleaned up so easily? What had she expected though? Had she expected the scene to be frozen in time…her dried blood still staining the floor, dishes broken, chairs overturned? After all of this time, of course someone had been in to clean.

"You're shivering, love."

Gillian turned towards Cal, finally recognizing his presence, not realizing that her body had started to shake. Suddenly, she felt her stomach start to twist, it's meager contents racing up her throat. Bolting towards the downstairs bathroom, Gillian barely made it to the toilet before her body forcefully rid itself of dinner. She felt a hand on her back accompanied by soothing words. She wanted to cry, but couldn't get the tears to come.

"You're not weak Gil." That phrase, more than any of the other comforting words that Cal had been uttering, pierced through.

Wiping her mouth with the back of her sleeve, she closed the toilet lid and sunk down to the floor, pulling her knees in tight to her chest. "I'm sorry."

Cal sat down on the floor facing her. "Nothin' to be sorry for darling. Do you want to go back home?"

Gillian shook her head, wet blue eyes searching his, determination replacing fear. "This is your home Cal. I need to get over this."

Cal was touched. She was trying so hard. "Gil, it's just a house. It's just wood, plaster and cement. It's not important."

"Really?" She sniffled.

"Nah, I'd sell it in a minute if you asked me to."

"What about Emily?" Cal thought about that for a moment. He had brought Emily over earlier, to give her a chance to be in the house again. Emily had had a similar reaction but had then quickly marched up to her bedroom, turned her stereo on and plopped onto her bed with a book. Cal could read in her face her desire for some solitude so he had retreated from her bedroom, closing the door behind him.

"Emily would understand." He reached up and tucked Gillian's hair behind her ears. "She loves you as much as I do."

Gillian was filled with a rush of warmth. God, she loved this man! But, she didn't want him to sell his home. She was stronger than this. Rising to her feet, she straightened her shirt and reached her hand down to Cal, offering to help him up. Cal smirked, knowing that Gillian wasn't strong enough to be of much help but he took her hand anyway. "Where are we going love?"

"It's late and I'm tired," she said with a sigh.

"Back to your house then?"

Gillian shook her head and gave him a wink. "You got a big T shirt I could sleep in?"

Cal was surprised. "You want to stay here tonight?"

Pulling him towards the stairs, she turned and kissed his nose. "As long as you're next to me, I can do this."

* * *

Cal was freezing. The warmth of Gillian's adjacent body had disappeared. Jerking himself upright, he looked to his side to discover that she was gone. Trying not to give in to the panic he was feeling, he launched himself from the bed, making his way downstairs. Perhaps it had all been too much for her. Perhaps sleeping here in this house had been too difficult. Surely she wouldn't have driven herself home? And why didn't she wake him?

The bottom floor was dark. Cal checked the living room, the entryway and finally the kitchen. There, sitting on the floor, her back braced against the humming refrigerator, was Gillian, dressed in nothing but an oversized T shirt. The moonlight from the window above the sink caught her face, making her look almost ghostly. She was staring at the corner of the kitchen, the place where she had almost died. Her eyes had a vacant, haunted look to them. She was sitting like a statue, her only movement the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.

Squatting down in front of her, he broke her gaze, hoping that she was still mentally with him. Instantly, her glazed eyes focused on his. "I don't remember coming down here," she said in a whisper.

Cal sat himself next to her, back against the refrigerator, hand on her knee. He didn't say anything for a time as Gillian continued to stare at the spot on the floor. "It's all cleaned up," she finally choked. "It's like it never happened."

Despite his intense urge to say something reassuring, Cal stayed silent, sensing Gillian's need to get it all out.

'But it did happen Cal." She reached down and touched one of her wounds. "And it still hurts. I wish I could just flip a switch in my brain and wipe it all clean…the memories, the nightmares, the pain…all of it." Gillian pushed her head back against the stainless steel and closed her eyes, her breaths coming in short bursts. "Why did this have to happen?"

Cal wished he had an answer for her. More than anything, he wished he could absorb some of her hurt. "You mentioned once that you might be willing to go see someone…you know, professionally. Are you still interested?" Cal gave her knee a tender squeeze.

Gillian turned her mournful eyes towards him and gave him a nod. "I think I need to Cal. I have days like yesterday where things are perfect and I feel great and then there are moments like this, where I can't seem to move on."

"I think you're doing bloody fantastic Gil. You've only been out of the hospital for a few days. Give yourself some time."

"I'll make an appointment in the morning." Gillian smiled sweetly at him, her hand coming up to rest atop his.

Cal and Gillian sat in silence for a long time, each lost in their own thoughts and memories. The refrigerator hummed, the grandfather clock in the hallway gave it's hourly chime and the croaking of a lone frog could be heard outside the kitchen window. It was all rather soothing, as if the house, in it's own way, was trying to give them some peace. After a while, Cal felt Gillian's body grow heavy against him. She startled a few times as she let herself finally surrender to sleep. Cal gingerly picked her up and carried her back up to the safety of his bedroom.


	34. Chapter 34

**Pure fluff! Hope you enjoy...and thanks for the nice comments.**

CHAPTER 34

Cal leapt to his feet, hearing excited commotion coming from the hallways of the Lightman Group. He had been sequestered away in his office for the entire morning, pouring over the same tax fraud case that he had been working on that fateful night. He hadn't made much progress and he was, quite frankly, bored.

Emerging from his office and into the bright hallway, he stopped short, surprise and a tiny bit of worry passing over his face. Gillian. What was she doing here? It had been just two days since she had returned to his home, faced some of her demons and then watched him haul a suitcase full of her clothes back to his house. She hadn't even balked when he had suggested this huge step.

Cal knew that she was struggling. He heard her cry out in her sleep. He saw her desperately trying to mask her nerves every time she set foot into his kitchen. But, he didn't say anything, instead opting for quick, reassuring touches and smiles that always seemed to put her at ease. Her first appointment with a therapist was fast approaching and Cal knew that Gillian was nervous about it.

What shocked him today was how positively radiant she looked as she embraced Anna, Ria, and the rest of the staff. Cal winced as Eli Loker practically lifted her off her feet in an exuberant greeting. He watched Gillian grimace, but smile gracefully. She was dressed in a sexy pair of jeans, her favorite red clogs and a black, low cut blouse. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. For her first foray into the public, she looked amazing.

Cal broke through the swarm of well-wishers and took her hand. She spun around and gave him a dazzling smile. "Cal….I just couldn't stay cooped up any longer."

Cal kissed her cheek, aware of the many onlookers. "It's okay darling, you look wonderful."

Gillian gave him a wink and turned to the staff. "Thanks everyone, so much for the job you have been doing while I've been recovering…." Gillian abruptly stopped, tears instantly forming in her eyes. Cal saw it and quickly wrapped his arm around her waist.

"I echo what Dr. Foster said. Knowing that you were all here, managing things without us was invaluable. We are so happy to have each and every one of you on our team." Cal looked at Gillian, who gave the group a nod and a smile.

"Now then, back to work with the lot of you. Let's give Foster a chance to get used to us again." With that, he tightened his grip, surprised by his overwhelming need to protect her. She didn't hesitate as he led her down the hallway to her office. "Just the way you left it Gil. Well, except for a few of the fresher flower arrangements. We had to throw the rest away, but I took a picture of each and every one for you. All of the cards and notes are in your top drawer." Cal was babbling, not quite understanding why he was so nervous.

Gillian leaned against him as she kicked off her shoes. "Everything looks great Cal. Really, really great."

Cal turned Gillian towards him, wrapping both of his arms around her. "It's so good to have you back Gil. I thought you were going to wait a few more days though?"

Gillian perched her chin on his shoulder. "I was climbing the walls and I didn't know where else to go. Emily dropped me off."

Cal pulled back and gave her ponytail a playful tug. "You feeling okay? This is a big step, yeah?"

"I'm a little sore still, but all in all, I'm just happy to be out in the world again."

Cal studied her face. The minuscule remains of facial trauma had been expertly covered by her flawless make-up. She looked healthy, her skin glowing, her face vibrant and full. "God, you look amazing...downright sexy!"

Gillian gave him a playful punch, reading from his expression what he was thinking. "We're at work Cal!"

"Who bloody cares?" He drew her close again, running his hands along her back and breathing in her scent, her hair tickling his nose. His heart started hammering in his chest as she tucked her head under his chin and let out a little sigh.

"You make me feel so safe and loved Cal," she purred.

"That's my mission in life darling." He began moving his hands along her sides, down her ribcage and over her hips. He felt her shiver. "Gil, I love you so much."

Gillian looked at him, her face mirroring the raw arousal that she saw in his. "I love you too." And with that, they were kissing, hands roaming, hearts racing. Gillian moaned, her body responding as he expertly touched the parts of her body that had always been off limits. She found herself wishing that her office wasn't completely made of glass. With that thought, she began to laugh.

"What's so funny darling?" Cal mumbled as his lips ghosted over her throat, down to her clavicle.

Gillian gasped at the sensation "We're in a fishbowl Cal."

Looking around, Cal seemed to grasp her meaning. "Should we move this to my office then…lock the door and pretend we're not in?"

Gillian giggled again, placing her hands against his cheeks and bringing his face up to meet hers. "Not here…not for our first time."

"So, there will be a first time then?" Cal waggled his eyebrows at her.

"Oh, there will be. You just have to be wait a little longer. I'll let you know when I'm ready." Physically, Gillian was ready to take this step with Cal. Her body was feeling stronger every day. What worried Gillian was her mental state. Despite Cal's reassuring words, she was still self -conscious about her scars. Though the stitches were gone, the flesh still looked ugly…puckered and red.

She also wanted to get one therapy session under her belt, to hopefully rid herself of some of her insecurities and fears. Cal was being a saint. Waiting for her to be ready, for the time to be right, must be taking a huge amount of restraint. Gillian loved him all the more for it.

Cal gave her one last passionate kiss and released her. "Well, if we can't do what I want to do, how about we focus on something equally as stimulating?"

"And what might that be?"

Handing her a fat file that she instantly recognized, he gave her a devilish grin. "How about payroll?"


	35. Chapter 35

**Phew...back from camping and all the other distractions that camping brings. Here is the latest chapter! **

**CHAPTER 35**

Gillian was feeling good. Her first day back at work had been a successful one. She was tired and her body was achy but she had endured it, and had actually accomplished more than she had anticipated...including that pesky payroll. It felt good to use her brain again, for something other than worry or reflection. She had been distracted all day, to the point of actually forgetting for a few moments that she still bore the ugly scars of the last two weeks.

She hadn't seen much of Cal all day, but for a few moments when she had observed him grilling a man suspected of selling company secrets to the competition. What she did see of Cal caused her slight alarm. The expression on his face was one she had never seen in all the years she had partnered with him in the science of lie detection. Boredom. Cal Lightman was bored with the work he was doing. Gillian couldn't understand it. She figured he would be chomping at the bit to get back into the action, flexing his muscles and delivering science based results. What she saw was in opposition to what she expected. The fight had gone out of him, it would seem, and it became more apparent to her as she watched him challenge this suspect. Questions that at one time erupted from him with enthusiasm now left his mouth as if he were reading them from a teleprompter.

Now, as she sat in her office at the end of the day, organizing her desk and waiting to go home, she let herself stew. What had changed with him and more importantly, how could she help him? Reaching her arms over her head, she stretched and arched her back. Pain shot through her belly and she quickly hunched over her desk, still marvelling at how far she had come and yet, how far she still had to go in her healing. Perhaps Cal needed some healing too. Switching on her television, she decided to watch the five o clock news while she waited for Cal to take her home.

She smiled at the thought. Home. It had a different meaning now Gone were the days of returning to her quiet, lonely townhouse; the one she had purchased after her divorce with Alec. It had no happy memories within its walls, only solitude. Now, as she watched more and more of her things find their way to Cal's home, her life had changed. Her days and nights were filled with playful banter, loving touches and stimulating conversation. Gillian giggled to herself as she thought of the word "stimulating." Her body, it would seem was getting more and more sensitive to Cal's advances. She found herself craving his touch, his nearness. She thought of this morning; their passionate encounter here in her office as gooseflesh broke out across her arms. She had stopped them from going too far, but reluctantly. That moment of complete connection was coming, and soon. Neither of them was going to be able to hold off much longer.

With a start, her attention was drawn to the screen of the TV which was blaring at an abnormally loud volume. "Nicholas Cordova, member of the infamous Cordova family drug mafia has been arraigned and will shortly face trial." Gillian felt her heart hammer in her chest as a photograph of Cordova popped up on her screen. What she saw next, made her heart stop. There, on the screen was a picture of a horribly battered woman, hooked up to a breathing machine, lying in a hospital bed. It wasn't until she heard the name "...Dr. Gillian Foster," that she realized what she was looking at.

Dropping her pen, her whole body began to shake. What the hell? Where had that picture come from and who had authorized its use? She wanted to hide under her desk. Gillian continued to stare at the screen, her mouth agape even as the newscaster moved on to the late summer storm that was approaching the DC area. She barely heard the footsteps running down the hall, the door slamming open.

"Gillian, you all right?" Cal stared at his friend and then his gaze flew up to the television. Damn. She had been watching. Crossing in front of the desk, to her right side, he spun her chair around and squatted down in front of her. "It's okay love. I'm so sorry you had to see that."

Gillian let out a strangled cry, her whole body shaking as she began to sob. Cal reached for her, pulling her into a tight hug and stroking her hair while she cried. "I'm so bloody sorry. That picture was never supposed to come out. I'm so sorry."

Gillian pulled back in surprise, her eyes red and puffy. "You've seen it before?"

"Yeah. The police took it the day after the accident. They promised me it would stay out of the press."

Gillian stared at him. She grabbed a tissue from her desk and wiped her nose. "I'm so tired of crying."

Cal smiled. "You have a right darling." Gillian could see the guilt plastered all over his face.

"It's not your fault Cal." She dabbed at her eyes, trying to get some composure. "God, I looked awful." She tried to laugh but it just came out as a painful croak.

She saw Cal duck his head and stare at the ground, obviously not wanting her to see his face. In barely a whisper he said, "I hardly recognized you when I first saw you. I wanted to believe that they had made a mistake, that it was some other woman lying in that hospital bed. Not you. Never you."

Taking his hand in hers, Gillian rose from her chair and led him to the couch. She needed to get a few things off of her chest and now seemed the perfect time to do it. "Cal, Emily told me what you went through while I was in surgery. She told me how she found you crying in the bathroom."

A look of shame briefly passed across his face. Gillian forged ahead. "I want you to know that if I could have taken your pain away from you, I would have. I also want you to know that if the tables were turned and you were the one lying in that hospital bed, I would have come undone." Gillian fought to control her voice. "I try to put myself in your shoes and think about what I would have felt if you were the one beaten and dying and I can't even imagine it. It would have been the cruelest form of torture for me." She felt Cal squeeze her hand. Tears had again started slipping down her cheeks as she stared into his eyes. "I hurt for you Cal. I hurt that you had to go through that alone. I hurt that I wasn't there to comfort you or tell you not to worry. I was unconscious for most of it. I was oblivious to what was going on. But not you. Every hour of every day you had to worry...not only for me but for Emily."

Cal had started to weep, something that rocked Gillian to the very core. She had never seen this kind of raw emotion coming from him. Cupping his face in her hands she continued. "I love you. More than anyone on this planet, I love you. Thank you for sitting at my bedside, looking as horrible and deformed as I obviously looked. Thank you for not running away. Thank you for loving me enough to stay with me." Gillian was done. Watching Cal openly cry was proving too much for her.

Slowly, Cal leaned forward and placed his tear stained lips on hers. He ran his fingers over her cheek, deliberately stroking the site of her injuries. In between tender kisses, in barely a whisper he said, "I would never have left you. No matter what. Never."

Gillian was feeling dizzy. The image of her bruised and swollen face constantly swam through her mind, even as the image of Cal Lightman's tear stained face competed with it. Why did any of this have to happen? She had no doubt that they would get through it. She was sure that she would get to the bottom of Cal's sudden discontent with work. She was also sure that she would eventually put these images behind her and move forward, whole and healthy. It would all take time, but one thing was for sure. She would never leave him. Not ever.


	36. Chapter 36

**Much quicker this time! The big moment has arrived...hope I did it tastefully. Not too M. **

CHAPTER 36

Gillian hesitantly knocked on Cal's office door, her hair wet and shiny from the afternoon summer storm that had hit the area. She had been caught in it as she walked from her first therapy appointment to her car. Somehow, she didn't mind the drenching she was getting. It felt appropriate on a day like today, where everything she had experienced had been laid bare at the feet of a fellow professional.

"Describe for me what happened Gillian. And if you can, try not to leave anything out," had been Dr. Felicia Mercer's advice after they had exchanged pleasantries and a few professional stories. Gillian had done her best, some of the memories coming easily while others reducing her to a puddle on the floor.

The worst to retell were the events of that night. The horror of discovering that Emily was about to be filleted right in front of her was perhaps the worst moment of them all. She could still see the menacing blade, pressed tightly to Emily's neck. Gillian had known that if she didn't intervene in some way, the teenager's life would end before it had barely begun. The second worst moment for Gillian was the moment she realized that her attacker had plunged a knife into her body and was about to do it again. The feeling of utter helplessness still paralyzed her. Dr. Mercer had been patient, letting her take long pauses in between the play by play. Once it was all out there, on the table to be analyzed by someone other than her or Cal, she felt cleansed. Let someone else carry the burden around for a while.

Cal's door swung open in a hurry as his concerned face met her soaking wet one. A grin instantly formed as he pulled her into the office, water dripping onto his floor. "I'd help you get out of those wet clothes darling, but you know, office ethics and all." He gave her a playful wink as he wrapped her up in the blanket that he stored under his couch.

She sat down and pulled him down with her. Cal wrapped his strong arms around her now shivering body and kissed her forehead. "How did it go?"

"Better than I expected. She asked me some tough questions but they helped."

"Really?" The relief on his face was hard to miss. "Do you need to go back?"

"A few more times. She gave me some homework and some advice. It was nice to talk to a neutral party."

Cal smirked. "Are you saying I'm not neutral?"

"God no. Whenever we talk about what happened, the look of rage that crosses over your face almost scares me."

Cal shrugged, aware that he had a hard time masking his emotions where Gillian was concerned. "Just being protective of my woman, that's all."

"Mmmmm," she hummed, "and I love you for it. Dr. Mercer really helped me today though. She helped me start the process of moving forward from where I am right now."

"Moving forward how?"

"With healing, with my career, with my relationships." Gillian gave him a beaming smile.

"Oh, and what relationship did you discuss with the good doctor?" Cal's face was only inches from hers, the smell of his aftershave driving Gillian mad.

"With you of course." She nodded and looked at her lap. "We mostly talked about you."

Cal felt a lump form in his throat, hoping that the therapist's advice would move them in the direction that he desired and that they both needed. He was relieved when Gillian tightly gripped his hand. "She said that we needed to move forward, you and I. She also wanted to make sure that our relationship was based on something solid, not intensified temporarily due to a crisis."

Cal was suddenly curious. "And you told her...?"

"I told her that you and I have had eleven years together. That we have been through rough times and have come out better for them. I told her that I love you now more than I ever thought possible and that I was confident that you felt the same."

Cal let out a low, almost wolfish growl as he looped his arm around her waist and pulled her onto his lap, ignoring her wet clothes. "I most certainly do," he whispered huskily into her ear. Gillian turned to face him as she passionately kissed him, groaning as her tongue gained entrance. Gillian was aware that Cal's hands were roaming her body, finding their way underneath her wet clothes and caressing her warm skin. Gillian followed suit, wrapping her arms round his waist, hands kneading his toned back muscles. "God Gil, I love you," Cal proclaimed between kisses as he felt himself getting highly aroused. Remembering her desire to not consummate their relationship here in his office, he pulled back, taking her flushed face in his hands.

Gillian read the unasked question in his face. Nodding her head, she smoothed her fingers over his eyebrows, along the side of his face before lingering on his lips. "I'm ready Cal, if you are."

Cal hungrily reclaimed her lips. Still kissing her, he stood up and placed her back on her feet.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

* * *

Cal was happy, and warm and thoroughly spent. As he ran his hands down Gillian's naked hip as she lay with her back towards him, he could scarcely believe that they had finally reached this moment. His bed was filled with her scent, that intoxicating scent that drove him wild. Their lovemaking had been tender, much more so than he had ever experienced. Sex with Zoe had always been a quest for dominance, each person fighting to take control. Not so with Gillian. She was giving and kind and he relished the sexy noises that she made when he returned her generosity.

Her body was a wonder, it truly was. Once he had finally seen all of it, his breath had left him. The overwhelming urge to kiss every inch of her took over and he proceeded to do exactly that, lingering in the spots that caused her to gasp. The only tense moment came when he reached her belly, the scars pink and puckered and still painful. He felt her stiffen and draw in a long breath. Cal stopped what he was doing and moved back up to her head, his fingers gingerly tracing her scars while his lips gently kissed hers. "You're beautiful love...in every way." He felt her relax and he moved further south, sweetly kissing her healing wounds.

It wasn't until he slipped inside of her that his emotions threatened to spill over. The moment was just so perfect as he gazed down at her tear streaked face, a look of pure joy flooding her features. They fit together beautifully, as if their bodies were created only for each other. He began to move inside of her, ever diligent in making sure he wasn't hurting her still fragile body. When she cried out in ecstasy, screaming his name as she did so, he couldn't hold out any longer. His climax was mind blowing and more intense than he thought possible.

Now, after having cleaned up and cuddled for a while, he had watched her drift quietly and peacefully off to sleep, his eyes never leaving her. His hands continued to touch Gillian's smooth, creamy skin as he planted kisses on her freckled shoulders. She didn't stir, her body utterly exhausted from the effort. "I love you darling," Cal whispered as he kissed her ear. The tiniest of smiles danced across her peaceful face as she continued to slumber. A feeling of warmth and peace so powerful hit Cal like a sledgehammer. She was his. _Oh God, she was his!_ He could scarcely believe it but now that he had her, he didn't ever want to let her go.


	37. Chapter 37

**I really am wrapping this up in a chapter or two. About time right? It's been pretty quiet over in in Lie To Me world so I thought I'd put this latest chapter out for you all to enjoy!**

CHAPTER 37

Gillian woke up to the smell of cooking bacon. Glancing down at her body, she smiled when she realized she was completely unclothed. The events of last night had done more to heal her than anything else could. She ran her hands over her body, retracing the path that Cal's mouth had taken. He had been so kind and tender. She had never experienced sex like she had last night. She and Alec had been passionate early on in their marriage, but as drugs had taken control of him and ruined their relationship, their infrequent lovemaking had been routine and almost boring. Cal, on the other hand, was exciting and giving. The look in his eyes as their bodies had finally joined had brought her to tears. It was a look of pure, unconditional love. Cal took her breath away, in more ways than one.

Climbing slowly out of bed, she gingerly made her way to the shower, noting to her displeasure that her body was terribly sore. Frowning, she reached for the bathrobe hanging on her closet door. She and Cal had taken things slowly, in an effort to protect her still healing body. Her heart warmed as she remembered how gentle and careful he had been, always making sure that he wasn't being too rough. Despite the pain, Gillian wouldn't have given last night back for anything. As she stood under the hot spray she looked down at her wounds. They didn't seem so glaring now. Cal loved her, with her scars. He had proven as much last night. They were just scars...and though they would always remind her of her ordeal, they would also forever more remind her of this, their first glorious night together.

Toweling off her hair, she slipped into her robe just as Cal burst into the room, a dopey grin on his face and breakfast in his arms. Gillian laughed out loud. "Someone looks happy."

Cal set the tray on the bed and marched over to her. His smile vanishing as he studied her face. "You hurting darling?"

"Just a little sore." She reached up and cupped his chin, expertly wiping any signs of pain from her features. "Don't worry, you didn't break me." She grinned at him and gave him a wink, but she didn't miss the look of worry and even regret that passed over his face. "Don't do that Cal," she ordered. "Last night was beautiful and perfect and I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Cal's expression softened. "You sure you're all right? Last thing I wanted was to hurt you."

When Gillian stopped his worrying with a kiss, Cal slipped his hands under her robe, resting them on the small of her back and drawing her in close. In between desperate kisses he muttered, "because I've got to tell you Gil, last night was bloody amazing!"

Gillian hummed as he began to kiss her neck. "I couldn't agree more."

* * *

"Cal, can I ask you something?" Gillian was sitting in between Cal's legs, her head pressed against his heart as he leaned up against the backboard of the bed. Cal tightened his arms around her, his hands somehow finding their way underneath her robe again, caressing her creamy skin. "Anything love."

Gillian wasn't sure where to begin. "I was watching you at work the other day. You were questioning someone in the cube."

Cal nodded his head. "That wanker sold valuable information to a rival company. He was a terrible liar though...caved in less than twenty."

Gillian ran her fingers over his chest. "I saw something in you that worried me." She could feel Cal tense. "You were positively bored."

Cal laughed. "Yeah, well...it was a boring case. Seen it a hundred times."

Gillian lifted her body up to look at him. "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Cal signaled towards her and grinned.

Gillian smiled back and gave him a playful swat on the arm. "I'm not talking about you and me. Because believe me...we're a-okay. I'm talking about with work. You just seem 'off'."

Cal stared at the ceiling, aware that Gillian was waiting for an answer but unsure if now was the right time to let it all out. Sighing, he started to play with her earlobe as he felt her relax against him again.

"I need a break, I think."

"What kind of break?"

Cal ran his hand over his face. "Bloody hell, I don't know what's wrong with me Gil. I just don't care about it anymore."

Gillian's eyes widened in surprise but she didn't sit up to look at him, choosing instead to listen. "About our business?" Gillian got the distinct impression that he had been stewing over this for quite some time. How had she missed it?

"Do you ever wonder what you'd be doin' with your life had we never started a business together?"

"No, absolutely not." Gillian did not like where this conversation was heading.

"I do. All the time...and more so now. I have always been a selfish, reckless, adrenaline junkie. I pulled you into my world because you tempered me. You kept me sane. Plus, you're bloody brilliant but that's obvious."

"I was a willing participant, don't forget that Cal. I knew what you were before we started the Lightman Group."

"Nah, I know that. I have been thinkin' a lot lately about what this business has cost us though. We both lost our marriages for one."

Gillian could hear so much in his voice; pain, regret, and sadness. She sighed as she started to rub his chest with her hand. "You can't blame the business for that Cal."

Cal pushed ahead as if he didn't hear her. "We work late hours, have virtually no social life, and our lives have been in danger more times than I an count."

Gillian couldn't disagree with this assessment, except for the fact that her social life had suddenly dramatically improved.

"And now, this has happened." Gillian felt Cal absentmindedly touch her left scar, his finger rubbing soft circles over the new skin, causing her to shiver. "The fact is Gil, the work that we do put you and Em in danger. It almost cost you your life."

Gillian wanted to cry but forced herself to stay calm. "None of this is your fault Cal. None of it. It just happened."

She felt him shudder and tighten his grip on her. She waited for him to go on, practically hearing the wheels turning in his head as he obviously wrestled with how to continue. "I have been talking to a buddy of mine in California. He has offered me a teaching position at USC for one semester. I think I want to take it Gil. The job starts in two weeks."

Gillian gasped and pushed away from him, determined to this time, study his face. "Are you serious?" She didn't even have to ask the question. The resolute and heartbroken expression on his face told him all she needed to know. At the same time, she felt her own heart breaking. "You can't leave. Please don't leave." The damned tears were starting up again but this time she couldn't hold them back. This was not what she had expected and not what she wanted; not now, not after all of the lines they had crossed and barriers they had broken down.

"Gil, I need to do this."

Gillian couldn't talk, she just stared. "Cal, we've come so far..." she choked on her words. "Please don't leave me behind." Gillian dropped her head, no longer able to look at him.

Cal grasped her chin and lifted her eyes to face his. "I wouldn't dream of leaving you behind love. Let me go back and re-phrase what I just said." He gave her a gentle kiss on the side of her mouth before continuing. "_We_ need to do this love."

"We?"

"They don't want me without you and I don't want to do it without you." Cal took both of her hands in his, trying like hell to not stare at her beautiful breasts as her robe began to fall open. "Gillian, would you take this next adventure with me? You don't have to, and if you'd prefer you can stay behind and run the group. You know I trust you implicitly. But, I'd prefer you be by my side." Cal was watching her intently, cursing inwardly that he had such trouble reading her face. He continued. "Plus, think of the perks. You and me, teaching during the day while spending our nights together making love and drinking martinis on the beach. We can rent one of those swanky beachside condos. I've already looked into a few."

Gillian was reeling. She now knew what Cal had been doing during all of those lonely hours at her bedside. The hurt she felt for him was overwhelming. What this man had been through! And now, this. Deep down she understood why he was making this change, even if only a temporary one. It was more for her than for him. "Cal, be honest with me. Do you blame yourself for what happened?"

Cal ducked his head and cleared his throat. "I didn't keep you safe. I tried like hell for the last ten years to keep you out of my world...to protect you and keep you as pure as you were when we met. But I failed."

Gillian nestled back in against him, wrapping her arms around his torso. "Bad things happen Cal. You and I, we see a lot of things that others can't but we can't predict the future."

"I know love...and I keep telling myself that. But I can protect you and Emily this way. I can protect our family." Cal could feel the wetness of her tears on his bare skin. He continued. "Truth be told, there is another motive here too. I want us to start fresh...away from all of this." His hands were once again on her abdomen.

"And having Emily only a day's drive away is an added perk?" Gillian gave him a playful squeeze. Gillian was not one for quick decisions. She liked to weigh the pros and cons, give herself a week or two to see if the choice seemed less appealing with the passage of time. Not today though. Something inside of her told her that they both needed this reprieve. "What the hell are we doing?" She blindly reached up and touched his stubbly chin. "It's crazy and reckless and totally unlike me but of course I'll go with you."

Cal let out a loud sigh in relief. Decision made, the details were going to have to be worked out in a fast and furious way. Who would take over for them in their absence? What pending cases would he have to turn over to Jack Rader's firm? What kind of financial hit would the Group take if its two stars left it? Once gone, would Cal and Gillian ever want to return? So many questions raced through Cal's head. He bent down and buried his face in Gillian's hair, breathing in deep to calm his nerves, knowing that as long as she was beside him, they could do anything.


	38. Chapter 38

**Oh dear, remember me? I promised I would finish this story and low and behold, I finally cranked out another chapter. Only one more to go. Hope you enjoy this very LATE addition! Also, thanks to all of you that have kept this show alive for me with your amazing stories! I love them all!**

Cal whistled to himself as he pulled into the driveway. He had had a very productive day at work. The final details for their departure had been put into place, the last puzzle piece finally fitting. Cal and Gillian had spent a frantic week trying to figure out just how to leave their company and not watch it go under from five thousand miles away. Cal had come to the conclusion, more so than ever that technology was wonderful. The tech guys had set up the system so that on the big cases, Cal and Gillian could observe and offer opinion via their computers. Loker and Torres would take much of the day to day responsibilities while Gillian had hired an accountant to come in and monitor the finances and payroll. Surprisingly, Cal had not found it difficult to hand some of his smaller clients over to his rival, Jack Rader. Just a month ago, the thought would have made him sick but now, with his perspective changed, little things like old rivalries didn't seem so important. With a little bit of luck, The Lightman Group, though slightly downscaled, would stay afloat.

Cal smiled when he saw Gillian's car in the driveway. She had put her townhouse up for sale and though it hadn't sold yet, nothing was left at her old residence. Some of her things had been put into storage and the rest had made its way over to Cal's house.

Despite increasingly rare moments of pain and the occasional nightmare, Gillian's recovery had been dramatic. He recalled watching her this morning as she and Emily made pancakes. The two were giggling as they mixed, poured, and cooked like a well oiled machine. Gillian was so graceful in the kitchen, dancing from cupboard to cupboard like she had lived in Cal's house her whole life. Cal was pleased to see that Gillian didn't register the slightest reaction when her tiny feet shuffled across that fateful spot on his tiled floor.

As Cal opened the front door, he immediately noticed the piles of perfectly organized boxes lining the front hallway. Gillian and Emily had been busy. Tomorrow, they would ship all of their essentials to California, leaving Cal's house filled with most of his furniture, awaiting their eventual return. It had been fun to watch some of Cal's items and some of Gillian's items share the same box. The two had spent many an evening trying to find the perfect furnished place for their temporary stay in the sunshine state. They had looked at many homes via the internet but Gillian had insisted that they could live in a hotel until they found just the right place in person.

The house was strangely quiet for the amount of work that had obviously gone on today. Cal could hear soft, muffled voices coming from the television in the den. He smiled as he poked his head around the corner to see Emily, sitting on one side of the couch, a sleeping Gillian resting her head in the teenager's lap. Emily was absent mindedly stroking Gillian's hair as she watched what was sure to be a chick flick. Glancing at his watch, Cal felt the slightest bit of alarm. It was only 8:30. Clearing his throat, he made his way over to the figures on the couch.

"She okay Em?" he asked, giving his daughter a kiss on the cheek and letting his hand rest on Gillian's forehead. It was a little warm but not alarmingly so.

"She's fine dad. We just overdid it, that's all."

Cal lifted Gillian's feet and sat on the other end of the couch, positioning her feet back onto his lap. "Ughhh, Steel Magnolias, really?" Cal rolled his eyes as he stared at the television.

Emily giggled. "Do you know that Gillian can quote this movie word for word? She's seen it like a hundred times!"

"Yeah, it's obviously so exciting." Cal grinned as he nodded in Gillian's direction. "A real snoozer."

"She was really into it for the first half but then she just nodded off. It's a great movie dad, you should stay and watch the rest. I can fill you in on what's happened so far!"

Cal snorted. "Thanks, but no thanks." He stared at the screen and started to massage Gillian's feet, instantly remembering a time in the hospital when he had done the same. How was it that something that had only happened a month ago could seem like such a distant memory? Perhaps it was because so much had happened in that past month. Life changing stuff, really.

"Em, why don't you turn it down for a minute so we can talk."

Emily gave her dad a suspicious look and reached for the remote, hitting the pause button. "What's up?"

"With all of the excitement over the last few weeks, I realized that I never properly asked you how you were feeling about my moving to California with you."

Emily gave him a puzzled look so he pushed on. "I mean, here you are, about to depart on your first real adventure alone, and you're old dad announces that he's coming with you. That's got to be a bit of a bummer, yeah?"

"Well now that you mention it, that does sound like a bit of a bummer." Emily gave him an exaggerated frown.

"I just want you to know that this decision to leave for California had nothing to do with me not trusting you or wanting to check up on you all the time."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Oh please dad, this is me you're talking to. I know what this is all about."

Cal accepted her challenge. "Ok smarty pants, what is this all about?"

"You want a fresh start...new surroundings with Gillian. Everywhere you go, you are reminded about what happened to us here. You want to get away from all of it. You want to feel safe and you want Gillian to feel safe and the only way to do that is to get as far away from here as you can. Am I right?"

Cal shook his head in wonder. "You're bloody amazin', you know that?"

"I know. So I'm right?"

"Mostly. But I want you to know that the fact that the job is in California was just a fluke. I happened to have a buddy that offered me a job there."

"So you're not going to drive up the Berkley every weekend to check up on me?"

Cal gave her a mischievous glare. "Maybe once a month?"

Emily genuinely smiled. "Deal...as long as you bring Gillian with you."

Cal found his gaze traveling to the glowing television. He smiled at the movie that his girls had been watching. Despite it's cheesiness, the film was strangely endearing. He even found himself wiping a tear away as he watched one of the main characters die at the end. How close he had come to experiencing the same.

"You've grown soft, dad." Emily was smiling at him, her face transformed from one of mocking to one of tenderness.

"Must be my old age." Cal cleared his throat and glanced at Gillian, surprised that she had slept through it all. "What did you do to her today Em?"

"She wanted to get it all done. I kept telling her to slow down but she wouldn't listen." Stretching, Emily slid out from under Gillian's head, gently resting it on a pillow. "Thanks for finishing the movie with me Dad, and thanks for the chat. Goodnight." Emily kissed her father's cheek and bounced down the hallway. Before leaving Cal's sight, she turned and as an afterthought said, "I'm really happy for both of you. And despite what you think, I am actually really glad you're coming to California with me."

"Night, Em." Cal watched his daughter's darkened form disappear up the stairs before glancing down at his partner, best friend, and now, lover. Sliding off the couch, he crept over to her head, planting a tender kiss on her nose. "Gil, love...time for bed, darling."

Gillian's eyes opened lazily, confusion and surprise passing across her face. She looked past him at the now darkened television. "Oh, I missed the movie," she said in a tired and slightly disappointed voice.

Cal chuckled and placed a hand on her head. "Don't worry love, you and I have a big drive ahead of us tomorrow and if you want, we can watch Steel Magnolias the whole way."


End file.
